THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
CATWALK COUPLE
JULY 2019 £3.90
OCEAN DIVE
Watches saving the world
The rise of Ralph & Russo
SILENCE IS GOLDEN The monk on a mindful mission
Art of
TIME
PLUS
FRINGE BENEFITS
Let’s move to Edinburgh
WAT C H S P E C I A L
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© 2018 Harry Winston SA
Harry Harry Winston Winston Ocean Ocean Biretrograde Biretrograde Automatic Automatic
LONDON, LONDON, 171 NEW 171 NEW BOND BOND STREET, STREET, 02070207 907 8800 907 8800 LONDON, LONDON, THETHE FINE FINE JEWELLERY JEWELLERY ROOM ROOM HARRODS, HARRODS, 02070207 907 8899 907 8899 HARRYWINSTON.COM HARRYWINSTON.COM
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W W W .W I L L I A M A N D S O N . C O M
T H E P E R F E C T D E S T I N AT I O N F O R T O W N & C O U N T R Y L I V I N G
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SPRING SUMMER 2019
LONDON NEW YORK
ST MORITZ
ZÃœRICH
BEVERLY HILLS
TOKYO
MIAMI
OSAKA
AS P R E Y. CO M
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1781 Pochette in sky blue, seashell and lagoon bullskin with matching Bond Street button cuff. Rocket pearl necklace from the Cosmic collection
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CONTENTS J U LY 2 019
COLUMNS 24 26
THE GOOD LIFE Pottery is the new Prozac, says Alice B-B THE RURBANIST Alice Naylor-Leyland
UP FRONT 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 38 40 42 43 44
LADY LIBERTY Free-flowing dresses DOLCE FAR NIENTE Italians do poolside glamour best STYLE NOTEBOOK It’s hip to be square-toed MY STYLE Lainey Sheridan-Young LUCIA LOVES Super silk scarves HOT MESS Take the heat out of summer styling GOLD DIGGER Jewellery news BODY LANGUAGE Our new beauty columnist, Olivia Falcon uncrosses her legs BRIGHT YOUNG THING Zara Martin BEAUTY TEST A speedy smile saviour BODY & SOUL Don’t take a holiday from your fitness routine WELL GROOMED Men’s style news
THE GUIDE 49 52 54 55 56 58 59 60
THE DIARY Freerunners take over the city of London ARTS AGENDA Oh, we do like an exhibition beside the seaside GOOD READS The American Dream becomes a dystopian nightmare THE OLYMPIAN Sebastian Coe remembers a tennis trailblazer ROAD TEST A return to retro styling SEEDER’S DIGEST All hail Highgrove WHAT’S ON Family friendly festivals CONVERSATIONS AT SCARFES BAR Novelist Jonathan Coe tinkles the ivories as he tells Charlotte Metcalf about his book on Brexit
FEATURES 62
67
67
72
SAFE HAVEN Charlotte Reather meets Clare Milford Haven, the Marchioness changing attitudes to male mental health BEHIND THE LENS Ralph & Russo rule the world of haute couture. Timelessness and joy are key, says Kate Finnigan A MONK’S TALE What is the path to happiness? Lucy Cleland asks Gelong Thubten to enlighten her
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L’ H E U R E D U D I A M A N T C O L L E C T I O N
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CONTENTS J U LY 2 019
ON WATCH 77
Simon de Burton edits C&TH’s annual watch guide, within which he takes a deep dive into the brands saving our oceans, the revival of wartime watches and explains the tricky terminology you’ve been too embarrassed to ask about
THE INSIDER 111
HIGH DRAMA Elevating the ceiling to heady new heights 112 RHYTHM IN BLUES Blue and white is the scheme of the summer 114 DESIGN NOTES News, views and inspiration by Carole Annett 116 STICK IT TO ’EM Bigger is better when it comes to wallpaper pattern 117 DESIGN Q&A Matilda Goad
FOOD & TRAVEL 119
122 124 132 134 136 137 138 139
ISLAND NATION There’s more to Cape Verde than package holidays, says Sam Kinchin-Smith THE HOTEL WIZARD Fiona Duncan’s French fancies EURO ZONE Our Greece, France and Spain summer holiday special THE BUCKET LIST Tony Bennett sings the praises of London and New York THE WEEKENDER Cambridge GASTRO GOSSIP Sultans of gin BEIRUT BOUND Aubergine salad FORK & FIELD Speedy suppers HAPPY HOUR Alice Lascelles offers a grown-up alternative to Aperol
ON THE MOVE
77
ON THE COVER Nastya @ Next Model Management wears Patek Philippe Ladies’ Gondolo Serata watch. T-shirt by Gap. Art direction by Ursula Lake, photography by Matthew Shave, hair and make up by Jaimee Rose using MAC Pro, nails by Cherrie Snow using YSL Beauty
141 142 144 145
PROPERTY OF THE MONTH LET’S MOVE TO... Edinburgh MY HOUSE Tamara Beckwith FIVE OF THE BEST Townhouses
14 18 46 140
EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS HIGH SOCIETY STOCKISTS
REGULARS
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72 EDITOR’S PICK S
DRINK Be a water bottle snob with Smythson’s leather encased version
EDITOR’S LETTER
M
editation – or mindfulness – has become as ubiquitous as Uber. And just as this app-based taxi service is a boon to most of its users, mindfulness is an even more useful tool, especially when the Uber you’ve ordered suddenly cancels your trip for absolutely no reason (which seems to happen to me every other time). And why do we all need to get on board with mindfulness? Because we live in a cult of ‘busy’, where we worship at the altar of overflowing diary and the scrolling of phone. Where once we had to walk to the Post Office to send a letter or take time out to actually read a book, we can now send an email or listen to a podcast while simultaneously doing a ten
kilometre run or the ironing. Those spaces in our day which were once filled with time for the brain to relax are gone – so we need to carve them out again to stop ourselves popping antidepressants and bankrupting the NHS with our anxiety issues. Which is why I loved interviewing Gelong Thubten on page 72. His life story took him from burnout in New York to Scottish monastery, where he was eventually ordained as a monk. Four years of silent retreat later and he’s using his incredible knowledge to bring mindfulness to the masses. Our Good Life columnist Alice B-B is also learning how to say no, realising that ‘busy’ doesn’t necessarily equate to ‘successful’ (p24). It’s apt too then that this issue is all about time and watches. While we can’t stop time on earth, watches can help save it, apparently, says Simon de Burton, who writes about brands which are digging deep into their eco-conscious souls (p90), as well as all the other wonderful horological happenings in this esoteric world (from page 77). So, enjoy this issue – mindfully. Put down the phone, brew a cuppa (five minutes) and take five. You never know, it could change your life. n
GET INVOLVED ClientEarth uses the rule of law to combat climate change. I’m in
80
SEE How will the devastatingly powerful Breaking The Waves be brought to life at The Edinburgh Festival?
62
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@countryandtown /countryandtownhousemagazine /countryandtownhouse
DRIVE A Jaguar I-PACE but just for the weekend, thanks to new high end, on-demand car rental service THE OUT
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See the film at polroger.co.uk
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For us, innovation must always serve function. For example, raising our bezel by 2mm has improved the grip. Just a little. When you care about watches, just a little matters a lot.
Aquis Date Relief
ORIS BOUTIQUE LONDON 41 South Molton Street London W1K 5RP
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CONTRIBUTORS Clear space around logotype = 1.5*X
SIMON DE BURTON
What was your first watch? A Westclox. White dial, white leather strap and a red point on the seconds hand. My father bought it for me one morning from a newsagent’s shop, just as we were setting off on holiday. I was five years old and I still have it. It’s about time we all started to… Realise that we can do with less. Except for time, of which we need more. I really need more time in my life to… Do all the things I should be doing instead of working. If you could turn back time, what would you change? The pace at which the world has changed during the past 20 years – the internet has moved things unnaturally quickly in a way that we’ll all regret.
KATE FINNIGAN
What was your first watch? My godmother Mary gave me a Mickey Mouse watch when I was seven. I can still see it in my mind as if it were in front of me. It’s about time we all started to… Encourage more insects and wildlife into our gardens. I really need more time in my life to… Have full body massages. If you could turn back time, what would you change? The EU referendum result, of course.
savoirbeds.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
CHARLOTTE REATHER
What was your first watch? A white Swatch with neon detail. It was the 1980s, baby! Gifted by my Mama. It’s about time we all started to… Stop holding on so tight. I really need more time in my life to… Play polo, tennis, sail, shoot, hunt, ski, swim, hike, cycle. If you could turn back time, what would you change? The clock, obviously.
OLIVIA FALCON
What was your first watch? Back in the 1980s, my father gave me a Gucci 1100-L watch – it’s the one that’s set on a gold bangle and has interchangeable coloured bezels. I love it and still have it. It’s about time we all started to… Make love not war. Kindness is key. I really need more time in my life to… Unplug, do nothing and just be. London life is so high speed that, this summer, I’m heading to a quiet corner of Herefordshire, where I plan to lie in a hammock with my husband and kids in a cider orchard. If you could turn back time, what would you change? On a personal level I wouldn’t change a thing – the good, the bad, the ugly – all my experiences have shaped me and, at 45, I feel very happy in my own skin.
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OBEY YOUR SPIRIT
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CO U NTRYA N DTOW N H O U S E .CO.U K
EDITOR Lucy Cleland EDITOR-AT-LARGE Alice B-B ASSOCIATE EDITOR Charlotte Metcalf MANAGING EDITOR Anastasia Bernhardt FEATURES ASSISTANT Clementina Jackson FASHION DIRECTOR Nicole Smallwood BEAUTY DIRECTOR Nathalie Eleni FASHION EDITOR Lucy Bond LUXURY EDITOR Lucia van der Post INTERIORS EDITOR Carole Annett JEWELLERY EDITOR Annabel Davidson EXECUTIVE FEATURES EDITOR Rosalyn Wikeley PROPERTY EDITOR Anna Tyzack MOTORING EDITOR Jeremy Taylor PROPERTY & MARKETING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Gemma Cowley DIGITAL MANAGER Adam Dean ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Eleanor Selby SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Ellie Rix CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Parm Bhamra JUNIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER Samuel Thomas ONLINE EDITOR Rebecca Cox DIGITAL ASSISTANT Ellie Smith JUNIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kerri Stolerman TECHNICAL MANAGER Hannah Johnson TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Mark Pearson DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY Wil Harris ACCOUNTS & CREDIT CONTROLLER Aimi Nicastro SALES & OFFICE MANAGER Daisy Orr-Ewing FINANCE DIRECTOR Jill Newey GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Tia Graham MANAGING DIRECTOR Jeremy Isaac CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stephen Bayley, Simon de Burton, Fiona Duncan, Daisy Finer, Lydia Gard, Avril Groom, Richard Hopton, Emma Love, Mary Lussiana, Anna Pasternak, Caroline Phillips, Marcus Scriven THE EDITOR editorial@countryandtownhouse.co.uk FASHION fashion@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ADVERTISING advertising@countryandtownhouse.co.uk PROPERTY ADVERTISING property@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ACCOUNTS accounts@countryandtownhouse.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE is a monthly magazine distributed to AB homes in Barnes, Battersea, Bayswater, Belgravia, Brook Green, Chelsea, Chiswick, Clapham, Coombe, Fulham, Holland Park, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Marylebone, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Pimlico, South Kensington, Wandsworth and Wimbledon, as well as being available from leading country and London estate agents. It is also on sale at selected WHSmith, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s stores and independent newsagents nationwide. It has an estimated readership of 150,000. It is available on subscription in the UK for £29.99 per annum. To subscribe online, iPad, iPhone and android all for only £24.99 visit: exacteditions.com/read/countrytownhouse. For subscription enquiries, please call 020 7384 9011 or email subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk. It is published by Country & Town House Ltd, Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, 115 Harwood Road, London SW6 4QL (tel: 020 7384 9011). Registered number 576850 England and Wales. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons and Sons Ltd, West Midlands. Paper supplied by Gerald Judd. Distribution by Letterbox. Copyright © 2019 Country & Town House Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Materials are accepted on the understanding that no liability is incurred for safe custody. The publisher cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. Whilst every care is taken to ensure information is correct at time of going to press, it is subject to change, and C&TH Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors.
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COLUMN
THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B lets go of her badge of honour
THIS MONTH I’LL BE
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The only meat eater (shhhh!) at Farmacy’s vegan supper club. farmacy london.com
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Expecting great things from former River Café chef Theo Hill at Gold on Portobello Road. goldnotting hill.com
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Merrily lathering my locks with Fulvic Acid shampoo – it’s so good! victoria health.com
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HE EVE OF CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW… And I’m at the magic cottage in the Cotswolds, elbow deep in flower beds, yanking out weeds. Or are they weeds? Ten years of tending tendrils and I’m still clueless. This amateur gardening lark is intense. Which is exactly why I love it. Gloves on, trowel out, cursing rabbits, nursing shoots; I’m right in the moment, mindfully focused on the minutiae, in a state of wellbeing where nothing else matters. Meanwhile, in the Bahamas, my sister Florence St George has found her own meditative healing making ceramics. Living abroad with few friends, two tiny babies and postnatal depression, she bought a bag of clay and made a pot. Three years later, she’s managed to ditch the antidepressants. ‘Pottery is my Prozac,’ Florence explains of the sculptural art pieces sold at The Sladmore Gallery. And this month she launches The Conch collection, feelgood tableware inspired by her Bahamian life; pink, yellow and blue pots, plates and bowls
CALIFORNIA SUMMER Easy-breezy dressing. shopdoen.com
PRETTIEST POTS Tablescape of dreams. theedition94.com
FIND THE PEACE Pleasure through pottery florencest george.com BRONZED BEAUTY Stay at home golden girl. amandaharrington.com
IT’S ELECTRIC The plug in motorino. bmgscooters.com
PHOTO: PORTRAIT BY JANE MCLEISH KELSEY
rimmed with gold and sold at my new favourite interiors shop, Edition 94 on the Fulham Road. It’s no wonder craft is the UK’s fastest growing creative industry. FAKE TAN. AT HOME. Four words that usually spell orangepalmed, tiger-stripe disaster. But I have news… Amanda Harrington. Log that name if you long for a sunless tan, in three different shades to suit your skin. ‘Amanda Tan’, as she’s known among my most golden-limbed friends, has been relied on by countless celebrities for her deft brushstrokes that create trompe l’oeil chiseled cheekbones or sculpted legs. (One superstar actor regularly flies her to LA to have his six-pack painted on.) Finally her genius is available to us mere mortals; Amanda’s bottled her potions, added a pair of crucial latex gloves and the magic busy ingredient – a big soft brush for buffing – which all arrives in a natty bag to use at home. And no, I won’t tell you who the actor is... BUSY, BUSY, RUSHING, RUSHING. When I quit my job as Style Editor at Tatler magazine (I was done with sobbing in the loos every day thanks – no thanks – to then Fashion Director Isabella Blow – it was a time before bullying in the workplace was a thing), I began a new life as a freelancer. Aged 28 and working my own hours, I decided that being busy was a badge of honour – showed I was in demand, a sign of success. But it was when this busyness encroached into the sacred space of family and friends – that’s when I realised… busy isn’t success, it’s just a lack of priority. I now believe that success is about short periods of intense focus leaving plenty of room for things that matter; gassing on the phone to my mum, yoga retreats with girlfriends or just knocking about with a best friend over from LA. I’m learning to say no, while scheduling more mucking around. I’m leaving busy to the bees. n
LU XU RY & N ECESSIT Y
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INTERVIEW
THE RURBANIST
Don’t sweat the small stuff, says Alice Naylor-Leyland Favourite game? I love a good round
of Backgammon. Saturday afternoons are made for…
Recovering after a long lunch, maybe baking a cake and catching up with the children. What would really improve your life?
Having a body double. Signature dish? Red velvet cake for my sisters Bea and Doll. Where was the last place you ‘discovered’? I haven’t physically been
there, but I am excited to discover the Royal Mansour in Marrakech this year. Alice Naylor-Leyland is partnering with Fenwick to celebrate the summer season. fenwick.co.uk n
Where’s home to you? The countryside – my home in Cambridgeshire. Where do you go to ‘lose’ yourself? It happens once in a blue moon, but when it does, it’s normally cocktails in London with my girlfriends. Daily rituals? Pret a Manger has just opened where I live, but I’m too used to getting my morning coffee fix by making an extra hot soya latte from the comfort of my own home. Secret London location? Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues on Wardour Street for the longest running blues night in Soho. Best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?
I’m always flattered that they’re surprised when I tell them I have three children. What item do you wear the most? My SET leather jacket from Fenwick. Last book you read? French Children Don’t Throw Food by Pamela Druckerman.
FROM ABOVE: Stine Goya Judy dress, £470 at Fenwick; Royal Mansour Marrakech; Olivia Rubin Elizabeth dress, £395, at Fenwick
Most valuable piece of advice you’ve received? Don’t sweat the small stuff. What brings out the worst in you? Being
late and a lack of organisation. The last song that made you dance? I’m
not a dancer but my children love Doja Cat, so when that comes on, I’ll dance with them. 26 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | July 2019
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Women’s Collection LOTTIE | NUT SUEDE |
BY APPOINTMENT TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER OF FOOTWEAR CROCKETT & JONES LIMITED, NORTHAMPTON
WWW.CROCKETTANDJONES.COM/WOMENS MADE IN NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND | SINCE 1879
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Riva Wallpaper. Curtains in Cleo. Cushions in Ombre Velvet, Herriot Way. Westover Ottoman in Cubism.
Savoy Collection: Wallpaper, Print & Woven Fabrics Anna French is a division of Thibaut, Inc. www.annafrench.co.uk
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STYLE BEAUTY JEWELLERY PA RT I E S
UP FRONT
LADY LIBERTY Style and grace from beach to bustling streets Three Graces London has got the science of summer dressing just right: easy breezy dresses made from natural fibres that keep you cool and still look chic when crumpled. Embrace the freedom of elegant, billowing silhouettes and add a gargantuan straw hat for ultimate holiday nonchalance. threegraceslondon.com
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UP FRONT Giovanni Raspini earrings, £210
Johnstons of Elgin jacket, £795 Eugenia Kim hat, £315 Montunas bag, £365
Missoni headband, £190
Olivia Von Halle robe, £790
Chinti & Parker skirt, £325
Chanel S/S’19
Eberjey swimsuit, £155
Melissa Odabash Cover up, £210
Fefè foulard, £40
Maje bag, £249
Moncler Lunettes x Marcolin, sunglasses, £215 Asceno bikini, £250
Birkenstock x Il Pellicano, £325 at MatchesFashion.com
DOLCE FAR NIENTE
Globe-Trotter case, £1,570
Dressing for the ‘sweet art of doing nothing’
Il Pellicano’s unmistakable yellow and white aesthetic
Those Slim Aarons scenes of sweet summer idleness aren’t as far away as you might think – they’re just hiding amongst the rocky nooks of Italy’s rugged Riviera. Golden yellow and white stripes reign supreme, made iconic by the fashionable Il Pellicano hotel and now decorating the coast from Forte dei Marmi to Forio. No one nails the art of doing nothing like Italians, so savour every second of those long, languorous days spent lounging by the sea, rising solely for glitzy sundowners at the bar. n
Emilia Wickstead dress, £780 at MatchesFashion. com
Signature stripes on the sleepy Argentario Coast SEE STOCKISTS FOR MORE DETAILS
S T Y L E
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UP FRONT MICRO TREND
COSMIC LOVE
WOOL-EYED EMILIA
‘Where do you come from and where do you go?’ was the question that inspired Emilia Wickstead’s collection made from 100 per cent natural, renewable and biodegradable Australian merino wool with Woolmark. The days of wool as a winter textile are over with this modern workwear capsule photographed on ‘ordinary yet extraordinary’ local women to celebrate the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. emiliawickstead.com
SQUARE-TOE SANDALS
BY FAR Tanya mules, £305 at Net-A-Porter
N E W S
STYLE NOTEBOOK
Fashion is no longer all models and no mortals, says Clementina Jackson
1 Tiffany & Co charm, £885 2 Missoma ear cuff, £55 3 Jessie V E ring, £1,850 4 Rachel Entwistle ring, £240 5 Jessica McCormack bangle, £6,300
INDUSTRY ICONS
Belstaff has teamed up with Leica Camera and photojournalist Emily Garthwaite for a project entitled ‘Everyday Heroes’. Portraits of men and women who make an outstanding contribution to local industry are set against the Scottish isles in a striking showcase of the Belstaff Icons collection. Leica Camera will host an exhibition and Q&A at its Duke Street Gallery on 27 June, too. belstaff.co.uk
WANDLER Isa mules, £330 at Browns
UTERQÜE Sandals, £99
MAD HATTERS
Stephen Jones and 32 of the UK’s best (and maddest) hatters have come together to breathe new and significantly more eccentric life into the British Hat Guild, which was first established in Luton in the ‘50s. A celebration of the excellence and exquisite technique of British millinery, the new site will serve as a bible for hat-lovers and manufacturers alike. britishhatguild.org.uk
SEE STOCKISTS FOR MORE DETAILS
TAKE THREE
F A S H I O N
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UP FRONT
Q & A
MY STYLE Print dresses are Lainey Sheridan-Young’s speciality
PHOTOS: © RENE DUPONT. SEE STOCKISTS FOR MORE DETAILS
What are you dressing up for this month?
Holidays! I will be living in my own brand, Lainey Loves: vibrant printed pieces that pack easily and can take me from the beach to all-night dancing. Country walk? Great jeans by C.R.A.F.T or Frame (skinny are best if wearing boots) with a cashmere jumper by Chinti & Parker. Power dressing? I have been studying yoga for 28 years and I feel like I can conquer the world in my workout clothes. Active in Style and BeHere & Love are my go-tos. Finishing touches? Scent. At night I wear Terra Flora by Wild Olive. Created with Kelly Ghali, it was inspired by her time in a cult. Style cheats? Great underwear. I love Simone Pérèle – the bras fit beautifully. Lounge lizard? A pair of printed silk pyjamas by Olivia von Halle. I wear them around the house in the hope that someone will ring the bell so I can show them off. Summer holiday essentials? Gypsy skirts, Capri sandals and a Hill & Friends bag – it’s the perfect beach bag. Plus vintage
silk scarves to tie around my head and a large cashmere shawl from Kashmir Loom in Delhi. Wardrobe fail-safes? Elegant printed silk dresses that work from day to night. I adore my friend Pearl Lowe’s dresses, as well as Duro Olowu and The Vampire’s Wife. Under the radar labels? Alexia Hentsch bodysuits, Le Monde Beryl shoes, Goddess Charms, Mira Mikati, Prism swimwear, Beazie jewellery, Sonia Petroff belts and Nette Rose lingerie. Everyday uniform? Simple clothes (denim with an Isabel Marant classic v-neck tee) adorned with fine gold chains around my neck. Favourite online retailers?
1st Dibs, Cult Beauty and Vestiaire Collective. Trend you’ll be embracing?
Print – a lot of it. Lainey Loves pop-up, until 30 June. 90 Golborne Rd, W11. lainey-loves.com n
1 Lainey Loves Colette dress, £486. 2 Chinti & Parker Sunbed jumper, £350. 3 FRAME jeans, £240. 4 BeHere & Love vest, £50. 5 Wild Olive Terra Flora perfume, ¤145. 6 Simone Pérèle Java bra, £73. 7 Olivia von Halle Lila Electra pyjama, £420. 8 Hill & Friends tote, £395. 9 The Vampire’s Wife Juno dress, £1,355. 10 Alexia Hentsch bodysuit, £295. 11 Sonia Petroff Aries belt, £879. 12 Le Monde Beryl x Alex Eagle mules, £365.
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UP FRONT
L U X U R Y
LIFE’S LIT TLE LU XURIES
LUCIA LOVES These scarves are works of art, says Lucia van der Post
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ot many of you, I guess, will have heard of Sabina Savage, but you’ll soon be passing on the discovery to your friends. She’s a relatively new kid on the block, having only started creating her own line of special silk or cashmere scarves and clothing as recently as 2013, but she’s already become something of a cult name. Savage studied in Paris at ESMOD, the oldest couture school in the world, and wanted to become a couturier but, after graduating, secured a job in print design at Alexander McQueen (she was interviewed by the great man himself but he died before she got there – ‘a very upsetting time,’ she says now). There, she ‘fell in love’ with print design. ‘We drew all the prints by hand and were given all the time we needed to work on any given design.’ She dreamed of starting her own brand and, with a £5,000 business loan, produced her first collection of silk scarves, each richly patterned with one of her own hand-drawn designs. ‘I sold that first collection mostly to my mum’s friends but they all seemed to love them and so I was encouraged to produce them more commercially.’ She has a studio in East London,
FROM TOP: Spoonbill and Jindo shirt, trousers and scarf; Spoonbill and Jindo tailored shirt; The Rooster’s Dance scarf; The Cunning Kitsune scarf
where she hand draws all designs, making the patterns first before placing the prints exactly where she wants them. ‘I do it all the old-fashioned couture way. It isn’t very economical [which accounts for the price of her pieces] but it gets the best results, so that the print suits the body rather than just producing metres of repeat prints.’ Printing is done near Lake Como and making up in East London. ‘Each collection has a strong narrative – the current range is based around a group of animals living on a mountainside outside Kyoto, who stage an old Noh play.’ Savage does a show in New York and one in Paris twice a year, and has stockists around the world. In London she sells exclusively at William & Son. Prices range from £50 to £695 for the scarves (in silk twill, wool and silk or cashmere), while the silk twill shirts are £695 and the trousers £650. sabinasavage.com n
SUMMER ESSENTIALS Sofie d’Hoore has a particularly lovely collection of summer dresses with a unique blend of simplicity and sophistication. Slightly over-sized, they have an ease and elegance about them that is very covetable. All are made from beautiful cottons or silks. £415. sofiedhoore.be
STONE AGE Bright, joyful, not overly precious jewellery can perk up the dreariest of outfits. Check out Dinosaur Designs, an Australian company that specialises in resin. I particularly love its big bracelets, from around £120. dinosaurdesigns.co.uk
RESTORATION PROJECT Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hibri, the two Lebanese designers behind Bokja, find old pieces of furniture in flea markets to restore and re-upholster with their textiles, giving each a singular personality. Bean Verde sofa, around £6,700. bokja.com
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UP FRONT
Pringle of Scotland dress, £595
Beulah London dress, £750
Beatrice B coat £454; trousers, £224; dress, £324
Self-Portrait dress, £350
S H O P P I N G Baum und Pferdgarten dress, £209
HOT MESS
Don’t sweat, Rosalyn Wikeley has a light selection up her sleeve A masterclass in wardrobe alchemy is the prescription for those wanting to look sharp in the summer heat. Too casual and you scream ‘poolside’, too smart and you’re a seasonal imposter, too ‘chiffon’ and the capricious British weather punishes you. There’s no winning. But a few sartorial truths are emerging on summer chic amid the anachronistic dress codes peppering the summer season – nominally, that white is too predictable and rules out wedding wearability, that light, breathable fabrics are saved from the casual pile with great cuts and that summer suits are the new maxi dresses. n
Stella McCartney dress, £1,620
Mulberry blouse, £385; trousers, £415
SEE STOCKISTS FOR MORE DETAILS
Racil blazer, £620
Eres shirt, £850
COS dress, £79
Ellie Lines jacket, £750
Eponine dress, £3,200
Toast dress, £185
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UP FRONT METAL MEADOW
If it’s colour you’re after, look to Pragnell, whose new Wildflower collection features fine plique-à-jour enamel to bring vibrant hues to 18kt gold designs. My favourite is the Devil’s Paintbrush ring with movable petals of brilliant orangey red, and orange and black diamond accents for the bud. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, but customers can commission alternative versions of each design by altering the colour of the enamel, perhaps, or requesting a different central stone. With Cornflowers, Ginko leaves, honeysuckle, primrose and clover all represented, you’re bound to find a new favourite. pragnell.co.uk
Devil’s Paintbrush enamel ring in 18kt gold with yellow and black diamonds, £6,700
RAINBOW RINGS
PRETTY IN PURPLE Niquesa’s first standalone store opens this month on Draycott Avenue with the brand’s signature amethyst palette playing a central role. Creative Director Elisabetta de Simone Niquesa’s love of bold hues and standout cocktail rings is evident in the use of coloured stones and contrasting shades. niquesafinejewellery.com
J E W E L L E R Y
THE GOLD DIGGER Flower power. By Annabel Davidson GYPSY MAGIC
Daisy Gypset Bloom diamond and 18kt gold earrings, £16,000
Given how fast they already sell out, the new Bloom range in Jessica McCormack’s Gypset collection isn’t going to help the cult jeweller keep them in stock; if anything, the adorable new additions to these addictive diamond drops on tiny gold hoops are going to cause a riot amongst already devoted fans. The fact that each one is handmade in her on-site atelier means that they’re not flying off a production line either. Lily of the Valley, Daisies and Seedpods are all rendered in diamond drops set in her signature blackened white gold. jessicamccormack.com
FRESH FROM CANNES
Chopard Chopard’s Orchid earrings in diamonds, opals, coloured sapphires and amethysts are dreamily realistic, £POA. chopard.com
De Grisogono No shrinking violets allowed here. Amethysts and rubies give these De Grisogono knockouts extra punch, £POA. degrisogono. com
Snowberry Gypset Bloom diamond and 18kt gold earrings, £10,000
Fabergé Fabergé’s multistone Secret Garden chandelier earrings are kaleidoscopically coloured in the best way, £POA. faberge.com
BOLD BLOSSOMS When Francesca Amfiteatrof describes the new B.Blossom collection for Louis Vuitton as being for the confident woman, she means it. This epic range sees boldly orb-shaped motifs across an entire collection, with beautifully curved hardstone featured – especially in the stackable rings. uk.louisvuitton.com
GORGEOUS BOURGEOIS The late FrenchAmerican artist Louise Bourgeois is one of the most inspiring of the 20th century, and now a collaboration between Simone Rocha and Hauser & Wirth honours her work in the form of jewellery. Limited edition runs of two earrings styles are available at Simone Rocha stores, Hauser & Wirth gallery shops and Dover Street Market. hauserwirth.com
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French Art de Vivre
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UP FRONT
MIND & M ATT ER
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BODY LANGUAGE
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WEAR A slick of Olverum’s new Dry Body Oil, which moisturises skin without grease and smells so good it negates the need for perfume. £36. olverum.com
Beauty expert Olivia Falcon on the hazards of getting your leg over
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funny thing happened at the dermatologist’s office the other day. There I was lying in my knickers on the couch of the brilliant Dr Rowland Payne – he’s the Doctor House of dermatology and offers London’s most epic skin check, scrutinising your skin from scalp to sole; lasering broken veins, needling hyperpigmentation, forensically shaving off suspect moles, and he’s spotted 117 skin malignancies in incidental findings in the last seven years. All was going swimmingly until he got to my legs. ‘You’ve got Leg-Crossing Lipodystrophy, which in layman’s terms is known as leg-crossers’ dimple,’ he said. This, it turns out, is not so much a life-threatening condition as a downright disaster for any barelegged summer moments. Move over cellulite, there’s a new neurosis in town. Let me explain. Some dimples are super cute: those squishy punctuations on baby’s cheeks or the cheeky dints above a pert bum. But this is totally unappealing – less a dimple, more a withered, palm-sized depression that’s located on the outside of the leg, just below the knee. It occurs when the fat of the crossed leg is caught between the rock of the kneecap and the hard place of the overlying fibula. The repeated pressure of crossing your leg causes fat atrophy and the dreaded dent. Dr Payne has done a study on this affliction and says it’s far more common than you
might think – uncross your legs right now and have a peek. Yup, there you go. So what’s the solution? Ever the perfectionist, Dr Payne has a syringe of hyaluronic acid filler to hand. Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that occurs naturally in the human body but depletes with age. It works like a sponge holding 1,000 times its weight in water, attracting moisture to the skin surface and, injected into the leg-crosser’s divot, it plumps up the skin for shapelier legs. Dr Payne is ahead of the curve here – I can report that body shaping injectables are already big in LA, with everyone from the Kardashians to the housewives of Hollywood tweaking their curves. The filler should last between one and two years and I’m advised to getting out of the habit of crossing my legs so as not to squish it away. I try and channel the poise of Princess Diana and switch to crossing my ankles but Dr P advises no leg crossing at all. That’s right, not even if you’ve got post-pregnancy weak bladder and are desperate for the loo. There’s another cosmetic procedure for that, which I’ll tell you all about next time. Olivia Falcon is the founder of editorslist.co.uk, a discreet service to guide people to the world’s best cosmetic practitioners and procedures n
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READ You are the Placebo by Dr Joe Dispenza, the instruction manual on how to produce miracles in your body. £8.92. amazon.com
INSTAGRAM @THEEDITORSLIST; PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
B E A U T Y
EAT BeaBeas plantfocused fast food bowls packed with deliciously dressed greens and interesting, protein rich ancient grains. bjsalad.co.uk
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Make it personal.
The Moisturiser
The Hydrator
Your skin’s needs are unique and always changing. The world-renowned beauty trailblazer, Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh pioneered the concept of mixing different, powerful serums to create a personalised daily ritual that perfectly meets your skin’s needs. Potent and award-winning, Dr Sebagh’s iconic serums—including the quartet of super-serums featured here—can all be used alone or combined, for agelessly radiant results. Moisturising is essential to restore the skin barrier, protect against environmental aggressors, seal in hydration and keep skin plump. Deeply moisturise and soothe your skin using Rose de Vie Serum, with antioxidant and nourishing rosehip oil, blended with the hydrating, hyaluronic acid-rich Serum Repair, which instantly leaves skin looking and feeling plumped, firmer and tighter.
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The Anti-Ager
The Firmer
Add a trouble-shooting, ‘Ageing-Maintenance’ hero to the mix with a few drops of Supreme Maintenance Youth Serum. It boasts 95% active ingredients, more than any other skin care product, including the ‘youth molecule’ Resveratrol, three anti-aging peptides, a mineral radiance booster and an anti-pollution film. The luxurious Platinum Gold Elixir can also be added to your serum mix, for an extra intensive firming, tightening and lifting effect. The blend of 13 active bio-tech ingredients includes two original peptides to help boost collagen synthesis and light-reflecting golden pigments. It can also be used on its own as a four week treatment. Available in-store and at drsebagh.com
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UP FRONT
B E A U T Y
BRIGHT YOUNG THING
Inside actress Zara Martin’s make-up bag. By Nathalie Eleni What are you working on? I’ve just
finished work on a short film called Mr Malcolm’s List starring Gemma Chan and Freida Pinto, which will be made into a feature-length film next year. I’m also a beauty ambassador for Marc Jacobs. Tell us about your charity project Cash and Rocket… We are raising money for
charities that provide life-changing support to women and children in need, by embarking on a drive from London to Paris to Geneva to Monte Carlo. I’m super excited to take part in this year’s tour with Wiesmann automobiles and my co-pilot Amy Jackson. It really is such an adventure – and for a great cause. Make-up bag must haves? Tom Ford eyeshadow quad in Honeymoon, Oxygenetix foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear concealer, Marc Jacobs silver highliner, Dolce & Gabbana blush in Delight. Plus I love Quantum Botanika cleansing balm and de La Mer moisturising lotion. It’s a big bag! TEAM Make-up: Nathalie Eleni Hair: Emmanuel at Paul Edmonds Photo: RVDS
Follow the adventure at cashandrocket.com
GET THE LOOK 1 Create a flawless yet natural base with Ilia Beauty True Skin serum concealer, dabbed under the eyes and around the T-zone. £28. spacenk.com 2 Prep eyes with Genial Triple Effect eye cream from Allél to ensure the perfect application for dramatic eye make-up. £190. my.allel.com 3 Use Kiko’s Daring Look eye marker to create a dramatic feline flick with ease. £7.99. kikocosmetics.com 4 Add a gorgeous glow with Marc Jacobs Beauty Accomplice Instant Blurring powder with a brush. £35. harveynichols.com 5 Choose a bespoke lip shade with the Anastasia Beverly Hills lip palette. I mixed the brown shades together to achieve a cool, earthy brown. £48. selfridges.com
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UP FRONT
SK IN SOS Sometimes all your skin needs is some TLC (tender, loving cream)
Dr Sebagh Luminous Glow Cream The name says it all. A radiance revival for tired skin. £72. spacenk.com
Dr. Levy Booster Cream A powerful cocktail of hydrating, elasticising and protective ingredients. £290. cultbeauty.co.uk
R E V I E W
BEAUTY TEST
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fter several years and two failed attempts at expensive cosmetic dentistry work, I still hadn’t given up on my hope of achieving a bright and symmetrical smile. But I knew that for me the answer didn’t lie in weeks of retainers and numerous visits to the dentist. I wanted something fast and fabulous. Dr Uchenna Okoye’s name kept appearing beneath big, beautiful smiles on Instagram. After a thorough consultation, photos and a complete analysis of my teeth and mouth, I knew she was the dentist of my dreams. She is a respected expert in the field, known for her natural dental work, so I was excited when she told me about cosmetic teeth bonding, one of her most common treatments for people who have good teeth but just want them perfected, with safe, fast and natural results. In short, dental material is shaped and sculpted into your teeth to change the shape, colour and appearance of the teeth. The procedure requires artistry and expertise, and Dr Uchenna literally does it freehand in the
same appointment. It’s incredible that you can walk in with a smile you are unhappy with and walk out with one that makes you feel fabulous. Unlike porcelain veneers, your teeth are rarely cut down – the procedure is so minor that you usually don’t need to be numbed up. First she did a ‘trial mock up’, sculpting some material on the edges of my teeth so I could see what the difference might look like. I loved that she made me part of the process, which she does with all of her clients to ensure that their visions match. Moulds were taken of my teeth and Dr Uchenna designed my new smile with the technician. On my next visit she worked her artistry during a three-hour appointment. The experience was quite wonderful and relaxing – I even got to watch a movie during my treatment – and in a matter of hours, as if by magic, Dr Uchenna had given me my own Instagram-worthy smile. £400 per tooth. londonsmiling.com n
Cosmydor E/2 Essential Care Tonka Undiluted organic active ingredients bring hydration happiness to sad skin. £35. cosmydor.co.uk
Valmont Prime Renewing Pack This luxuriously creamy face mask is a good night’s sleep in a jar. £162. lookfantastic.com
T+M X Honest Skincare All Purpose Balm An all-natural soothing barrier cream. Slather over a compromised complexion before bed. £12. tibaandmarl.com
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Hollywood smile in just three hours? Nathalie Eleni has to try it to believe it
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UP FRONT Q&A
W E L L N E S S
BODY & SOUL
HEALTH HOT LIST
Have a healthful holiday, says Camilla Hewitt
RECIPE
FLYING FIT
Nathalie Schyllert, former ballerina and CEO of Bodyism, on how to maintain a healthy mind and body on holiday
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Fitness equipment you can fit in your carry on? Bodyism exercise
bands and gliding discs.
MATCHA MAD Vegan matcha and vanilla swirl ice cream made with organic rice milk and agave syrup. matchaandbeyond.com
THE NEW RETINOL Bakuchiol is a natural alternative. It causes less irritation, so no peeling, dryness or sensitivity. £12. bybi.com
Sundowner that’s not packed full of sugar? Vodka with muddled mint,
cucumber and lime.
PHOTOS: MATCHA BY ©SCOTTCANEAT; HOTEL ROOM PRICING BASED ON TWO PEOPLE SHARING A ROOM PER NIGHT
A routine to help you relax as soon as you step off the plane? Sun
salutations and a quick yoga flow is the best way to get my body settled following a flight. I also try and book a massage if it’s available. bodyism.com SOUL CIRCUS A festival for serious yoga bunnies in the Cotswolds, 16–19 August. soulcircus.yoga
INGR EDIENTS SERVES ONE » 1 large frozen banana » 1 cup frozen strawberries » 1 ½ cups coconut milk » 1 tsp vanilla TOPPINGS Coconut flakes, coconut yoghurt, fresh strawberries, basil
SU MM ER SMOOTHIE
E SC APE
Grand House Algarve
F
ancy an alternative to ice cream that’s packed with vitamins? Cool off with a strawberry, basil and coconut smoothie bowl, perfect enjoyed poolside with a good book in hand.
METHOD Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Pour into a bowl, and sprinkle with toppings of your choice. gatherandfeast.com
Wellness travel doesn’t have to involve strict diets and workout plans; sometimes all we need is a weekend away to reset. Located in Vila Real de Santo António in Portugal, Grand House is a boutique hotel that opened in January. Featuring 31 rooms and suites, the hotel has been beautifully restored to feel like a private members’ club. For ultimate relaxation try the area’s natural mud baths and salt treatments, or take a boat to nearby islands with almost deserted beaches. Doubles from ¤200. grandhousealgarve.com
SKIN SAVIOUR Pack Caudalíe’s Beautifying Suncare Oil, equally protective for the skin and nature, and nontoxic for the marine ecosystem. £21. uk.caudalie.com
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UP FRONT WEAR IT YOUR WAY
A line of nostalgic yet now V-necks by new British brand MG Rivers are made from the finest Italian yarn and are so super-soft that they can be worn with nothing underneath – perfect for a chilly summer evening. £185. mgrivers.com
BEACH TIME
Swatch and Hackett are in the mood for some summer fun with their series of new Sistem 51 models in designs inspired by the British seaside and decked out in suitably summery stripes. Snap up the limited edition Thames model. From £126. swatch.com
M E N ’ S
S T Y L E
WELL GROOMED
Jackets that are a midsummer night’s dream. By Matt Thomas
SUMMER LIGHTS
Light jackets are the order of the day, so invest in a great goes-with-anything such as this single-breasted cream number by New & Lingwood cut in classic Brit style. £695. newandlingwood.com
A GREAT CASE FOR A PARTY Luxe luggage brand Montblanc launched its new travel campaign in style at Berlin’s Metropol Theatre, which opened for the first time in six years, presenting guests, including Adrien Brody, with an immersive experience evoking trips to favourite city destinations. montblanc.com
SHACKET STYLE
Half shirt, half jacket, fling on a 'shacket' for dinner on the terrace. Private White V.C.’s version uses fabric developed in partnership with Loro Piana, so it feels as good as it looks. £595. privatewhitevc.com
ABOUT TIME Keep your watches in a timely manner with Ettinger's first watch roll. There's space for two timepieces if you can't decide which is your favourite. £275. ettinger.co.uk
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UP FRONT S O C I A L
S C E N E
HIGH SOCIETY People, parties, places
Olivia Cole
Amol Rajan and James Roscoe Melvyn Bragg and Rob Yates
David Helfand and Mark Lynas Cara Ward and Craig Markham Charlotte Chappell and Naomi Hall
Jon Lee Anderson and Cristina Fuentes La Roche
Sarfraz and Bridget Manzoor
Matthew d’Ancona and Georgia Jones Kapka Kassabova
Izzy Falcon, Anthony Collett and Lyndsay Edwards
MAKING HAY
Alice Sherwood and Dolly Alderton
Caroline Michel, Simon Schama and Dylan Jones
Fresh from the C&TH talk on what makes a good brand, hosted by Ed Vaizey MP, the literati descended on a bucolic nook of the Wye Valley to quaff Bollinger, thanks to GQ and Land Rover’s annual kneesup – the very welcome (if chilly) kick-off to the Summer Season.
Oli Stephenson and Richard Reynolds
Natalia Miyar
Clare Gilchrist and Rabih Hage
Kit Kemp and Carole Annett
Neelam Gill
Audrey Carden and Eleanora Cunietti
Mark Vandelli Nadejda Savcova Laura Harrier
Amii Stewart
Tim Murray, Charu Gandhi and Graham Green
Mauro di Roberto and Lucia Silvestri
Drama and extravagance were the name of the game at Bvlgari’s 80s themed Wild Pop party at London’s iconic Roundhouse. Bedazzled guests hit the dancefloor to the throwback sounds of Amii Stewart, while the high jewellery catwalk set eyes on fire with excitement and envy..
DESIGN DIGEST
Princess Lilly zu Sayn WittgensteinBerleburg
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Suzy Hoodless Lady Kitty Spencer Eva Green
The biggest names in interiors descended on Haymarket Hotel’s Shooting Gallery to celebrate the second annual C&TH Interiors Guide in style. Hosted by design legend Kit Kemp and editor Carole Annett, the evening was fuelled by Hattingley Valley sparkling wine and plenty of insider gossip. Our lips are sealed.
PHOTOS: MARCUS DAWES
RAZZLE DAZZLE
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QIPCO KING GEORGE WEEKEND 26 th - 27 th July 2019
One of Ascot’s greatest occasions. A sparkling midsummer cocktail of style, socialising and world-class racing – brought to a perfect close as the sun sets with live music around our iconic Bandstand Tickets from £19 pp Fine Dining from £217 +VAT pp
Book your tickets at ascot.co.uk
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ART CU LT U R E BOOKS PEOPLE
THE GUIDE
PHOTO: RICK GUEST
ON POINTE Get into first position for Dance@ TheGrange in Hampshire, a showcase of esteemed ballet and contemporary dancers from all over the world, including former Royal Ballet principal Alessandra Ferri, Ballet Black and the director of this year’s extravaganza, Wayne McGregor, whose own company will perform an adaptation of his critically acclaimed work Outlier. 25 and 26 June. thegrangefestival.co.uk
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THE GUIDE Hassan Hajjaj, Karima Stylin’ (2000)
ART
ORDINARY ICONS
Moroccan-British photographer Hassan Hajjaj is a breath of fresh air – and he has a new solo exhibition, The Path, at The New Art Exchange in Nottingham. Characterised by a clash of bright colours, brands and cultures, through his camera lens Hajjaj pinpoints globalisation with the help of tomato tins and Sprite cans. Until 23 June. nae.org.uk
DON’T MISS SCIENCE
E V E N T S
Art and opera at Nevill Holt
OPERA
SOUND SENSATION A new theatre with showstopping acoustics at Nevill Holt in Leicestershire has transformed this historic royal estate into the ‘Glyndebourne of the Midlands’. Sculptures by Conrad Shawcross and Nic Fiddian-Green among others crown its cultural credentials. Cosi Fan Tutte is on 26, 27, 29, 30 June and 2 July. nevillholtopera.co.uk The Game Fair comes to Hatfield House
COUNTRY SPORTS
FAIR GAME
Celebrating the glamour and gusto of British field sports, The Game Fair at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, is Europe’s largest countryside festival. This year, joining the usual exciting array of live demos, expert falconer Ben Potter promises to turn heads by performing with one of the largest eagle species in the world, the Steller’s sea eagle. 26–28 July. thegamefair.org
CRAFT
Malton’s Makers Bringing 15 designers and boutique businesses to York House in Malton, the inaugural Pop-Up of the North will also host a series of workshops such as calligraphy, flower arranging, biscuit decorating and embroidery. Exhibitors include Bakehouse in the Barn, Bloomsbury Ceramics, Sessions & Co, Susi Bellamy and Ruth Eaton London. 27–29 June. priddenprand events.com
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PHOTOS: JOHN WRAGG, PERFUME, COURTESY THE ARTIST; © SIMON ANNAND
Droids can now draw, says Jenny Rowe
Not even the artistic realm can avoid the encroachment of artificial intelligence. Meet Ai-Da, the first ultra-realistic robot artist, when she opens her solo exhibition Unsecured Futures at Oxford University. The invention of Gallery Director Aidan Meller, Ai-Da is a portrait artist – but is she progressive, destructive or just plain deceptive? This one’s a matter of ethics and philosophy as much as personal taste. 12 June to 6 July. ai-darobot.com
PHOTOS: © ROBERT WORKMAN; © MARY MCCARTNEY
COUNTRY LIFE
I Am Not A Robot
POP-UP PERFORMANCE
EXTRAORDINARY BODIES
With three performances per day, Bodies in Urban Spaces, part of the ongoing Fantastic Feats programme organised by the City of London Corporation, is a trail of physical installations – people stacked in doorways and others hovering unassisted on vertical walls – drawing spectators from Liverpool Street to the Barbican. Choreographed by Willi Dorner and performed by a group of dancers and free runners, you won’t believe your eyes. 13–14 July. cityoflondon.gov.uk
E V E N T S
TOWN LIFE
PHOTOS: JOHN WRAGG, PERFUME, COURTESY THE ARTIST; © SIMON ANNAND
PHOTOS: © ROBERT WORKMAN; © MARY MCCARTNEY
Go down the rabbit hole for giant teapots and tiny desserts
John Wragg, Perfume
Bodies in Urban Spaces brings a new meaning to street art
ART
RA-ISING THE BAR
The Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission art show, welcoming all mediums from prints and paintings to films and architectural pieces. Royal Academicians and emerging new artists alike will put up pieces for sale, with all funds going towards the Academy’s non-profit-making activities. 10 June to 12 August. royalacademy.org.uk
THEATRE
TOAST OF THE TOWN
An adaptation of Nigel Slater’s autobiography Toast comes to The Other Palace in Victoria. Complete with walnut whips, mini (but just as tangy) lemon meringue pies and an assortment of ’60s sweeties, you will literally get a taste of Slater’s childhood, and an emotional one at that. Head upstairs for The Other Naughty Piglet’s take on his mother’s rice pudding beforehand. Until 3 August. lwtheatres.co.uk
DON’T MISS OUTDOOR EXHIBITION
Wrought from Nature Renaturing Nature is a group sculpture exhibition shown across St James’ Square and Hignell Gallery in Mayfair, exploring the natural world within the urban landscape. For the first time in London, Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos will present Te Danzante, a large-scale, wrought iron teapot entangled in jasmine plants. From 21 June. hignellgallery.com PREMIERE
Monster Moguls
Get a taste of Nigel Slater’s childhood
This world premiere at the Garrick Theatre cuts deep into a new wound. Written and directed by David Mamet, in Bitter Wheat John Malkovich plays Barney Fein – a top (but depraved) dog lording over Hollywood. Too soon? More like not soon enough. From 7 June. bitterwheatplay.com
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THE GUIDE HENRY AT HOUGHTON
A R T S
Henry Moore, Large Reclining Figure (1984)
ARTS AGENDA
HOW CHICAGO! De La Warr Pavilion, East Sussex Funny and often disgustingly grotesque, these manic cartoons contain dynamism long drained from the ubiquitous Andy Warhol oeuvre. The artists originate in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, in an era when student protest and bitter stand-offs with the police lent them rebellious ferocity. Until 8 Sept. dlwp.com
Do you want to go to the seaside? asks Caiti Grove SEASIDE SPECTACU L A R Art takes culture seekers to the seaside this season as some of our most atmospheric galleries put on shows worth travelling for
Ed Paschke, Elcina (1973)
SEASIDE: PHOTOGRAPHED Turner Contemporary, Margate This eclectic view of the British seaside is the gallery’s first photographic exhibition and they have certainly gone to town on every aspect of our national beachside life. From the surly teenage gangs of the Fifties to the ethereal gentility of composer Benjamin Britten, this exhibition is packed with dazzling portraits. It might be a metaphor for the British nation – the good, the bad and the often ugly; but it is first of all a hugely entertaining show worth the charabanc to Margate to catch. Until 8 Sept. turnercontemporary.org
Raymond C Lawson, Down to the Beach (1959)
LORD CHOLMONDELEY Owner of Houghton Hall I became obsessed with the artist James Turrell around the year 2000, so we launched an exhibition of his work. Since then, artists have come here to look around and produce work for the space. Henry Moore’s great national sculptures – familiar massive pieces – appear different when shown here. They have such a strong visceral impact, yet they often began so small. In our smaller galleries we show how just a bone or a stone was the genesis of these vast sculptures. An alarminglooking elephant’s head – a present from a friend – inspired an entire graphic album. We work alongside the Henry Moore Foundation and the sculptures, brilliantly curated for us by Sebastiano Barassi, look at home here – so fresh and contemporary.
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PHOTOS: THE VIRGIN MOTHER PHOTOGRAPHED BY PRUDENCE CUMING ASSOCIATES. © DAMIEN HIRST AND SCIENCE LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, DACS 2019
FIVE MINUTES W ITH...
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE HENRY MOORE FOUNDATION; © PETE HUGGINS; © THE ESTATE OF ED PASCHKE. COLLECTION MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CHICAGO, GIFT OF ALBERT J. BILDNER, 1974.5. PHOTO: NATHAN KEAY, © MCA CHICAGO; © RAYMOND C LAWSON, LOANED BY NICHOLAS D CORDÈS
Houghton Hall, Norfolk Its own paintings were long ago sold off to Catherine the Great of Russia, but since a sell-out show of The Hermitage treasures in 2013, Houghton Hall has transformed from the almost forgotten historic home of Sir Robert Walpole into a vibrant artistic hub. This summer it welcomes that titan of modern sculpture, Henry Moore. His unmistakable figures are to lounge around the delightful gardens and state room. Considering the colossal scale of his work, Moore’s fame and enduring reputation, this show will tempt art lovers to deepest Norfolk. Until 29 Sept. houghtonhall.com
FIVE OF THE BEST OUTDOOR SCREENINGS PREVIEW
PHOTOS: THE VIRGIN MOTHER PHOTOGRAPHED BY PRUDENCE CUMING ASSOCIATES. © DAMIEN HIRST AND SCIENCE LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, DACS 2019
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE HENRY MOORE FOUNDATION; © PETE HUGGINS; © THE ESTATE OF ED PASCHKE. COLLECTION MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CHICAGO, GIFT OF ALBERT J. BILDNER, 1974.5. PHOTO: NATHAN KEAY, © MCA CHICAGO; © RAYMOND C LAWSON, LOANED BY NICHOLAS D CORDÈS
YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE INTERNATIONAL
Across Yorkshire Birthplace of Damien Hirst, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, sculpture is as Yorkshire as steel. Now a festival is to honour the art all over the county. Hirst’s Hymn, a sixmetre tall anatomical model of a man, will keep watch over Leeds city centre, while a pregnant female equivalent is already patrolling the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (pictured right). Over in Wakefield, a 12ft alienlike figure, We Come in Peace by Pakistani-born Huma Bhabha, is sure to make people jump. Originally commissioned for the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it looks a bit like a space traveller here to report an urgent message from another galaxy. So exciting to see this enormous array of work in the north. I can’t wait. 22 June to 29 Sept. yorkshire-sculpture.org
BRIGHTON BEACH A Star is Born feels like a classic already – and a post-film paddle in the sea would undoubtedly make it a highlight of the summer. 31 July. lunabeachcinema.com MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE Check out the Duchess of Cambridge’s old stomping ground while marvelling at Rami Malek’s Oscar-winning performance in Bohemian Rhapsody. Don’t forget your pleated skirts and itchy woollen shorts. 12 July. thelostcinema.co.uk
CHATSWORTH HOUSE A pink sunset enveloping this Regency palace is one of the most magical scenes in the country. Now it is to become the backdrop to Mary Poppins Returns. Practically perfect in every way. 26 July. chatsworth.org Damien Hirst, The Virgin Mother (2005-6)
REVIEW
KATALIN STREET
Magda Szabó This haunting and brilliant book struggled to emerge in the West. Strange, because the author’s previous novel won her the Prix Femina and international acclaim. Now published to warm reviews – ‘an extraordinary novel’, announced the New York Times – it won the PEN Translation Prize for 2018. Magda Szabó introduces us to an affluent trio of families living in lovely riverside houses along the Danube in Budapest. Their children grow up in each other’s pockets, falling in and out of friendship and eventually in love. But it all changes with the 1939 World War and the savage repression of the Soviet invasion. Grief, loss and love intermingle in this deeply touching revelation of a post-war life in a place we seldom hear of. MacLehose Press, £12.99
COVENTRY CATHEDRAL RUINS Screened in the ruins of Coventry’s old cathedral, the PG-rated scary bits in Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone might seem a tad more frightening than usual. 27 July. summerscreens.co.uk
BAGGY POINT, NORTH DEVON After the sun sets over this coastal natural amphitheatre, audiences settle down in windproof rugs to watch Ginger and Rosa, a coming-of-age film set in postwar Britain. 6 July. blackbeam.co.uk
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THE GUIDE B O O K S
GOOD READS
Richard Hopton reviews four novels by American authors THE FARM JOANNE RAMOS
This gripping debut novel is set at Golden Oaks, a luxury surrogacy centre – ‘The Farm’ of the title – in upstate New York. With much to say about inequality and exploitation in American society, this is a novel with a social conscience – but such is Ramos’ skill that what could have been an earnest, liberal lecture dressed in a plot becomes a page-turner that scores its points deftly. On the face of it, the novel is a morality tale, pitting rich against poor, Upper East Siders against Filipino immigrants, employer against employee. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the boundaries are less clearly defined; things are more confused, more surprising. For example, one of The Farm’s pregnant, surrogate mothers, Reagan – they are all referred to as ‘hosts’, a mildly sinister, Orwellian euphemism – hails from a privileged, preppy American family, whereas most of the other surrogates are immigrants. Likewise, Mae, who runs Golden Oaks, appears to be a card-carrying
IMPROVEMENT Joan Silber The author’s new novel, set in New York City and Turkey, tells the story of three generations of one family. This gentle, absorbing story glides along on frictionless, understated prose; it feels wholly natural and unforced, as if the characters are recounting their own experiences, shorn of any artifice or make-believe. It incorporates scenes from life in Turkey, in Ankara and rural Cappadocia, and a New York cigarette-smuggling scam that goes disastrously wrong. Planning, coincidence and luck, both good and bad, Silber says, all have a part to play in human affairs. Allen & Unwin, £14.99
THE NEVER GAME Jeffery Deaver If you like full-blooded commercial thrillers with lots of twists and turns laced with kidnap and murder, then Jeffery Deaver’s latest novel is for you. The plot shadows the structure of a particularly unpleasant video game and is, appropriately, set in California’s Silicon Valley. Framed against a background of malpractice in the video gaming industry – topically, the propagation of fake news and the illicit harvesting of personal data – the novel introduces Colter Shaw. He is a cool, tough, self-reliant bounty hunter, a lone wolf – the successor to Lincoln Rhyme, Deaver’s hugely popular quadriplegic detective. Harper Collins, £20
member of the elite, with one eye on profit and the other on her own career, but is in fact herself an immigrant. Instructively, she is capable of both shocking cynicism and great kindness. There are myriad twists and turns in the plot, many of them, as in a psychological thriller, revolving around the changing beliefs and perceptions of the characters, especially the hosts, as the story progresses. How achievable, Ramos asks, is the American dream? Is it a dream for all? Being a surrogate mother offers immigrant women enormous financial reward, but at great cost to their freedom. Once contracted to Golden Oaks and pregnant, the hosts lose all control over their bodies and their lives. Is it right, is it equitable, that this should be the case? Is surrogacy a straightforward bargain between two parties or an inhumane exploitation of needy immigrants by the wealthy? The good news is that while you ponder these questions, you can enjoy Ramos’s richly entertaining novel. Bloomsbury, £12.99
STAND BY ME Wendell Berry This novel explores Port William, a farming community in rural Kentucky, through a series of 18 linked short stories which draw on the lives of four successive generations of the town’s inhabitants between about 1880 and 1980. This is the first time that Berry’s fiction has been published here. The stories tell of family and community, the role of history, and of collective memory and shared bonds in preserving continuity. Berry writes with great wisdom and deceptive simplicity; the result is a profound rumination on rural life, memory and community, enchantingly rendered and gently humorous. Allen Lane, £16.99 n
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THE GUIDE Billie Jean King at Wimbledon in 1965
S P O R T S
THE OLYMPIAN
Billie Jean King changed the face of women’s tennis forever, says Sebastian Coe
PHOTO: REX FEATURES
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lthough I hope I have made a strong case for each of our sporting gamechangers to rightly claim that epithet in these columns, that is where all detailed comparison ends. There is however one common theme. All have seized on a moment that has set them on their path. Last month it was Muhammad Ali, throwing his Olympic medal into a river after being refused service at a local café. This month’s gamechanger would appear to have been propelled to stardom over a pair of shorts made by her mother. Billie Jean King – unarguably tennis royalty, winner of five Wimbledon titles and a clutch of grand slams – dominated the women’s tennis scene from the mid-Sixties for over a decade.
Baseball and softball were her first sports. Upon the suggestion of her father, she tried tennis and the rest, as they say, is history. No doubt there were countless motivations for her: at times, strident advocacy for gender equality both in and beyond the game. But it was probably being excluded from a photograph of other junior tennis players, while participating in a tournament in Los Angeles in the mid-Fifties, for wearing the aforementioned shorts (not the tennis dress customary for female players at that time) that propelled her down that path. For many, the pinnacle of that advocacy was played out to a global audience when she famously took on 55-year-old Bobby Riggs in 1973 in what became known
as ‘the battle of the sexes’ – and probably as much as any single moment in sport, laid the case for gender equity. Soon after, she formed the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the Women’s Sports Foundation, a platform she skilfully used to lobby for equal prize money. As a result, the US Open became the first major tennis tournament to offer equal recompense. Her legacy is clear. Now, all four slams offer the same purse. Back on the court, her ferocious training and conditioning programme changed the face of the women’s game. Her strength and lightning speed left her almost untouchable. A permanent presence at the top table of all major sporting debates undoubtedly elevates her to the most influential sportswoman ever. n
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C A R S
ROAD TEST
Love the Mazda MX-5 but want a retro convertible? The Abarth 124 Spider has plenty of legs, says Jeremy Taylor
Abarth 124 Spider
VITA L STATS Abarth 124 Spider Turbo MultiAir GT PRICE £32,780 ENGINE 1368cc 4-cylinder turbo POWER 170bhp 0-62MPH 6.8 seconds ECONOMY 44.1mpg
TOWN
COUNTRY
The Mazda MX-5 changed the face of drop-top motoring when it was launched 30 years ago. Suddenly there was an affordable way to get the wind in your hair – there hadn’t been anything this good since the Lotus Elan. Back in 1989 we bought so many MX-5s that the car became a global phenomenon. The modern styling of the fourth-generation version is not to everybody’s taste though – so what if you prefer a sports car with more classic lines? The answer is made in Italy. Four years ago, Mazda signed a deal with Fiat Chrysler to work on a joint model. The result is the wonderfully retro Abarth 124 Spider that harks back to the classic Fiat 124 of the 1960s. Compact and zippy, the Abarth is an absolute joy to drive around town on a sunny day. There’s no electric hood but the roof can be lowered from the driver’s seat in seconds. Flamboyant Italian styling (‘heritage’ bonnet versions are available too) is backed up by a loud exhaust note. At least the punchy stereo will drown some of that out. And on a practical level, it has a deep and roomy boot. RATING: 4/5 HANDBAGS
Much of the beautifully sculpted interior is the same as the Mazda, although the Abarth sports retro ribbed leather seats. It also features mini speakers in the headrests, which makes listening to phone calls with the top down much easier. However, the key difference between the two cars is under the bonnet. The 124 has a turbocharged 2.0 petrol engine that is slightly less powerful and not as easy to enjoy on a country road as the gutsy, non-turbo MX-5. The Abarth handles just as well as its class-leading cousin, but exploiting the performance from the Italian car isn’t so easy. Still, the Spider is simple to drive, with just enough power to make it exciting. On longer journeys, the seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers an easy to read satnav system. The rotary controls are foolproof, although I do wish the bulky unit didn’t stand like a carbuncle atop the dashboard. I found it difficult not to enjoy the open-top pleasures of the Abarth. I much prefer the styling to the Mazda but, at the same time, I couldn’t help thinking the MX-5 is still a cheaper, more powerful and better-equipped car. RATING: 3/5 WELLIES
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THE GUIDE
Porsche Boxster GTS
THE DRIVE
VITA L STATS Porsche Boxster GTS PRICE £62,418
The red carpet is always rolled out at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California. That’s because they never know who might drive up for supper at one of Hollywood’s most glamorous eateries. Set in the heart of the prestigious 90210 zip code, the hotel that locals dub the ‘Pink Palace’ is still a hideout for the rich and famous. Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin – they’ve all wined and dined at the Polo Lounge in the grand dame of thespian hotels. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton spent their honeymoon here, John and Yoko enjoyed a week Beverly Hills Hotel
ENGINE 4-cylinder 2497cc POWER 365hp 0-62MPH 4.2 seconds ECONOMY 33.2mpg
TOP GE A R ACCELERATED ACCESSORIES WRITE ON The Swiss-built Ecridor Racing pen was inspired by the world of motor sport. Created by Caran d’Ache, the matte black finish, flash of red and palladium plating follows the design cues of a sleek sports car. £140. carandache.com
curled up in bed and the swanky cool Rat Pack of the 1960s mingled with Hollywood’s elite at the Bar Nineteen12 ($100 for a Sidecar cocktail, anyone?). The car park is bulging with Mercedes and Ferraris, which means pulling up in anything less than interesting would be a major faux pas. Fortunately, the latest Porsche Boxster GTS has just enough swagger to turn heads. GTS models have always been a highlight of the Boxster range. A little beefier than the standard car, the top spec version boasts a more powerful engine and a discernibly sportier feel that whisks you to 62mph from standstill in just over four seconds. Click into Sport Plus mode and this Boxster also gives off a throbbing exhaust note that announces your arrival with acoustic fireworks. Short of Scarlett Johansson on your arm, it is going to get you noticed. I first drove the Boxster in the late 1990s. It was quick and the handling set new standards for a two-seat, mid-engined convertible. Twenty years on and nothing has changed. Apart from the bonkers Alfa Romeo 4C, you won’t find a better car for top down thrills. And unlike the Alfa, which requires an experienced hand to tame, the Boxster can be as wild or forgiving as you want it to be. Some petrolheads will tell you this is a poor man’s Porsche 911 – I’ve owned both and I know which one gave me the most pleasure. The joy of driving a convertible that handles this well is hard to beat. Drop the electric hood, put on a pair of bling shades and let the tweaked 2.5-litre engine illuminate your face with an instant smile. The GTS is composed, quick and impeccably balanced. It inspires an almost stupid level of confidence – equipped with an automatic gearbox that delivers on every level. It’s so good I even forgot to switch on the music system. And even if Scarlett had said pick me up at eight, I most probably would have forgotten. As star cars go, the Boxster is very much an A-lister. There are faster, more outrageous, over the top supercars to choose from but, when the credits roll, this is the convertible that steals the limelight. RATING: 5/5 n
COOL ‘N’ SHADY Ever wondered which sunglasses racing drivers choose to wear outside of their sponsorship deals? Serengeti are often the shades of choice. serengeti-eyewear.com
HELMET HAIR Vintage motorbikes require a suitably fashionable helmet and retro lids don’t come any nicer than Bell’s Cruiser 500. bellhelmets.com
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THE GUIDE G A R D E N I N G
SEEDER’S DIGEST
TOOLED UP
Get down to Downton, says Clementina Jackson
RHS Collection X Gold Leaf Gloves, £15. rhsshop.co.uk
Kondo Seisakusho Trowels, £60. japanhouse.london.uk
Sophie Conran Apron, £22.95. sophieconran.com
GAR DE N OF TH E M ONTH
HIGHCLERE CASTLE Newbury
Highclere Castle was the main filming location for Downton Abbey, and now visitors can follow in the fictional Crawley family’s footsteps as the grounds open for a series of special scenic midsummer guided strolls. Join the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon for the annual Downton Abbey Live open air concert on June 22, featuring London’s Chamber Orchestra, after exploring the grounds’ wildflower meadows, walled gardens and sublimely scented walks. highclerecastle.co.uk
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FEED Roses after the first flush of flowers for neverending blooms.
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SOW Your last batches of carrots and French beans.
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WATER At dusk to reduce evaporation and use mulch to retain moisture.
TR E N D
CROPS IN TIGHT SPOTS
The typical UK garden is now just 50 feet long, so necessity dictates we get more and more creative with our crops. From growing samphire on a window sill to making your own herbal tea crate, Alex Mitchell is full of tried-and-tested ideas tailored for containers, raised beds, small gardens and indoors. Small but perfectly formed is the way forward. Crops in Tight Spots by Alex Mitchell (£18.99, Kyle Books)
Petersham Nurseries Mist sprayer, £19.50. petersham nurseries.com
William Morris Kneeler, £32. vam.ac.uk
B E IN S PIR E D BY
OUTDOOR LIVING
Bring the bohemian vibes of rural Ibiza and rugged Provence to your own green space by bringing the indoors out and enjoying every drop of sunshine al fresco. Patterned parasols, wicker chairs, mismatched cushions and candles aplenty make for the perfect summer scene – moodboard courtesy of Maisons du Monde’s new outdoor collection. maisonsdumonde.com
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
THIS MONTH
Orla Kiely Pruners, £30. amara.com
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C&TH ONLINE
THIS MONTH
by COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE
Four FamilyFriendly Festivals Planning a summer of alfresco fun? Online at countryandtownhouse.co.uk you’ll find guides to the best boutique, literary, food and family-friendly festivals of the year. Here’s a taster of our family guide… 1
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SUFFOLK Latitude Festival Award-winning familyfriendly festival Latitude has activities for kids, teens and families spread across three areas. Think ponddipping, stargazing, pizza making, a dedicated ‘Inbetweeners’ area for teens and a magical Enchanted Garden with a familyfriendly programme for under-13s. There’s even a dedicated schools programme to allow teachers to bring along their class for some festival fun. 18–21 July; latitudefestival.com
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DORSET Camp Bestival This annual Dorset mega-festival vetoes the beer sludge and all-nighters for more child-friendly pursuits like bouncy castles, go-karts, fairgrounds, face painting, sandpits and glitter. In fact, most of the festival is dedicated to little party people. There are family shows and entertainment from Mr Tumble, Wallace & Gromit and Big Fish Little Fish to name but a few. 25–28 July; campbestival.net
Read the rest of this article at bit.ly/familyfests
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OXFORDSHIRE Cornbury Festival Re-opening this May in the Great Tew Park, Oxfordshire, this luxe festival affair features kids’ activities that include ukulele playing, circus skills shows, kids’ yoga and a toddler disco. Young art lovers will find a host of workshops from screenprinting to needle felting. There’s also a giant den and clay modelling for some outdoorsy festi-fun. 5–7 July; cornburyfestival.com
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CORNWALL Port Eliot Festival At this seriously chic Cornish summer festival you’ll find talks from some of the biggest names in children’s literature, along with a dedicated children’s area, which provides a haven for adventure with enchanting performances, interactive theatre and more. There’s also kayaking and archery down by the river along with plenty of spots for wild swimming. Fun, no? 25–28 July; porteliotfestival.com
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Jonathan Coe takes to the piano in Scarfes Bar
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THE GUIDE
In his latest book, Jonathan Coe unpicks the subtleties of the great Brexit divide. Charlotte Metcalf meets the novelist uniquely placed to understand both sides Portrait by ALEXANDRA DAO
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onathan Coe has gravitated towards the grand piano. Though it’s mid-morning, he’s playing the kind of laid-back blues that infuse Scarfes Bar with the lush, smoky atmosphere of a New York speakeasy. ‘I’d love to have been a lounge piano player,’ Jonathan grins, as he reluctantly moves away to start talking about Middle England, his acclaimed state-of-the-nation novel about Brexit that has sold 40,000 copies in hardback and cemented his reputation as one of our finest novelists. With the paperback’s imminent release in July, Jonathan worries there won’t be enough interested people left to buy it. Anxiety over how few books he’s going to sell has never stopped Jonathan from writing, however. He began at eight with a detective mystery. ‘It had sentences like, Cottage or “In a thrice he drew his blunderbuss,” ’ penthouse? he grins. ‘My father’s secretary typed it I live in Chelsea but dream of up, which shrunk the handwritten original a cottage in to 29 pages. I was so deflated. I’m still trying Shropshire or North Wales. to work out why I carried on writing.’ He sent his first novel to a publisher at Pub lunch or 15 but it was rejected. ‘It was the work of an Michelin star? Pub lunch – objectionable, provincial, narrow-minded, sexist, though the most racist person,’ he says ruefully. ‘We took The exciting meal I ever had was at Telegraph and the Daily Mail at home and I grew the Fat Duck. up absorbing all those terrible 1970s suburban attitudes.’ Jonathan was so embarrassed by the Theatre or gardening? book he later burnt it in his parents’ back garden. As with writing, Today Jonathan lives in Chelsea with his wife I love the results of gardening but and two daughters, but he grew up in a suburb hate the process. of south-west Birmingham that forms much of the backdrop for Middle England. His father was Cat or dog? I have two cats a research physicist in the motor industry and his but hanker after mother a teacher. As a student at Cambridge a dog, though I’m not up for he spent most of the time in his room writing the emotional and then did a doctorate at Warwick University. commitment. His first novel The Accidental Woman was published Sharp suit or when he was 25. Subsequent novels like The country casuals? Rotters’ Club assured his status as an astute political Scruffy. I don’t mind suits but and social commentator, but it’s Middle England hate buying that has catapulted him into literary stardom. them. I’m wearing one I bought in The book follows a young couple, one a Brexit M&S 15 years ago. remainer and one a leaver, from 2010 through
IN BRIEF
to the referendum and beyond. ‘It’s an emotional history of the last few years,’ he says. ‘The problem with Britain is you can’t just draw a line down the middle and put the remainers on one side and the leavers on the other – this is a much bigger, more existential divide than just voting differently. A working class friend told me everyone was voting to leave because “they can’t stand people like you”. That was a real punch in the gut. Brexit has become a proxy for so many cultural and political resentments. The genius of the Leave campaign was to harness that feeling. Coming from Middle England, but now a paid-up member of the metropolitan elite, I can see it from both sides. The problem is the tone of voice we’re arguing in – we’re all so quick to anger. Everything flares up and polarises so fast. The book came out when the Brexit process was chaotic and parliament was in meltdown, so I’m lucky as it hit a nerve.’ So how does he follow Middle England? ‘I want to write something more personal and local. I’m putting something together in my head but it’s still far too nebulous to talk about,’ he responds. ‘I feel compelled to write and don’t like the period between books. I feel uncomfortable with the world without an imaginary one to escape to.’ I suggest that the critical skills Cambridge taught him have the potential to limit his imagination rather than unleash it and he agrees. ‘I’m so acutely aware of every word,’ he says. ‘Last night my novel was read at the French Institute by an actor and I winced the whole way through it. I love the process of recording music because it’s liberating not knowing what I’m doing.’ Jonathan used to be in a band and music provides him with a secondary, less pressured creative outlet. Among several musical projects, he’s co-written a musical based on The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. ‘I’d like to do more music. Writing is so solitary and I’d like to do something more collaborative,’ he explains. He’s gearing up for a summer of talks at literary festivals. He is clearly uncomfortable inhabiting the role of a celebrity political soothsayer but there is no doubt Middle England has defined a historic shift. His brilliance lies in his ability to tell a story that has vividly and accurately charted our progress from United Kingdom to bitter, irreconcilable division. ‘Privileged, Oxbridge, stale, male, pale writers like me don’t occupy the same place in the cultural hierarchy that we used to. Slowly and effortfully we’re being replaced by more BAME, working class and female writers, which is as it should be. This whole fight over Brexit is an extension of that privileged liberal elite hierarchy becoming redundant. This isn’t about politics, it’s a culture war, and it’s not a battle of ideas any more – it’s personal.’ Middle England by Jonathan Coe is published by Viking, £16.99 n July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 61
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SAFE HAVEN
Clare Milford Haven turned her own tragedy into a force for good. Charlotte Reather meets the Marchioness behind the first non-clinic suicide crisis centre for men
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Photography by HELEN McARDLE
Clare wears her custom-made Reverso Classic Duetto Medium in pink gold with a Casa Fagliano leather strap
itting in the resplendent library at Cowdray House, Clare Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven, shows me her Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch. ‘It’s unique and was presented to me after working with the company for ten years. The Reverso Classic Duetto Medium goes from day to night. The day face is silvered grey art deco, the evening face, midnight blue with diamonds which, coupled with the ruby crown, complements my engagement ring [given by her husband, George Mountbatten, 4th Marquess of Milford Haven].’ She flicks up the timepiece to reveal an engraving inside the gold casing. ‘There are two crossed polo sticks with George’s coronet and the initials of my three children, James [who would have been 33], Louisa, 25, and Harry Wentworth-Stanley, 30.’ I admire the blue leather strap made by the famous polo bootmakers, Casa Fagliano. ‘The Reverso was actually made with polo players in mind,’ says Clare. ‘LeCoultre first designed a prototype in 1931 for army officers in India who kept breaking their watches while playing. He came up with the swivelling case to protect the dial and glass by turning it over and exposing the classic metal back to shocks.’ ‘Jaeger-LeCoultre is the official timekeeper at Cowdray Park Polo Club, which hosts the prestigious Gold Cup,’ she continues. ‘Time is crucial in polo as each chukka is only seven minutes long, so seconds count.’ The polo player and former social editor of Tatler, who looks far younger than her 58 years, is refreshingly down to earth and, in spite of the opulent setting and talk of polo, I don’t feel the need to hide my own second-rate watch, although I do yearn to replace it. A decent watch is a universally approved and appropriate refinement; a car will depreciate and a handbag fall out of fashion but a handcrafted watch is timeless. It’s an investment for your own lifetime and an heirloom for future generations. The preciousness of time cuts deeply with Clare because on 15th December 2006 all the clocks stopped in her world when her eldest son, James Wentworth-Stanley, took
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Clare wears the Reverso Classic Medium Thin in pink gold, ÂŁ12,300
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‘MY DAUGHTER LOUISA SAID TO ME, “YOU’VE TAKEN SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE DESTROYED YOU AND TURNED IT INTO SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN THE MAKING OF YOU.” ’ his own life, aged 21. ‘From that moment forward, everything changed. If I could go back in time, knowing what I know now about men’s mental health – masculinity, the signs, the threat – I hope I would have been able to save James from what happened.’ She has since devoted herself tirelessly to finding out why it happened, raising awareness about suicide, supporting families in crisis and working with mental health professionals to help prevent men from taking their own lives. ‘Men are particularly at risk because they find it hard to articulate their feelings and we also know that they find it difficult to ask for help.’ Her hard work and fundraising culminated in the founding of James’ Place in Liverpool, the first non-clinic suicide crisis centre in the UK , whose doors were opened in August 2018 by HRH Prince William. ‘Since then, we’ve helped 130 men through 550 interventions. We provide a safe environment, effective intervention that’s available at the point of crisis and we equip them with effective tools to help improve their mental health. We work with Shout (the 24/7 crisis text line) and are hoping to open more centres soon.’ Clare is proud of her achievement with James’ Place but her maternal grief is still raw and has become part of the mechanism that makes her tick. ‘My daughter Louisa said to me, “You’ve taken something that could have destroyed you and turned it into something that has been the making of you.” ’ Her love of polo is given another layer when she explains that James was passionate about the game. ‘He was obsessed with polo, we both were, and crazy about horses. We played together and against each other. He was Captain of the Harrow team that defeated Eton for the first time in 13 years in 2004.’ It’s a connection she’s not ready to relinquish and, with the support of Jaeger-LeCoultre as her team sponsor, she doesn’t have to. ‘When James died, Jaeger-LeCoultre was so supportive; they continued to back me and the team at a time when I didn’t think I could get back on a horse, but they wouldn’t let me give up. I owe them a lot because just taking an hour out when I wasn’t thinking about James, about all the sadness, and I could focus on something else was very important in my healing process.’ It was a relationship Clare had forged herself, wanting to
Clare wears the Reverso One Duetto Moon in pink gold, £34,000
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Tatiana; Clare, wearing the Reverso Classic Medium Thin in pink gold, £12,300; Louisa, wearing the Reverso One Duetto in pink gold, £18,100
Photographer: Helen McArdle @ Katie Ellis Hair and makeup: Wendy Turner at Stella Creative Artists using Sacha Juan and Tom Ford Beauty
play independently from her husband. ‘I wanted to do things on my own terms, so I said I’m going to start my own team. George asked how, and I really didn’t know.’ Fortunately, her editor at the time, Nick Foulkes, thought it was ‘blindingly obvious’ and pointed her in the direction of Jaeger-LeCoultre. ‘I had lunch with the director, pitched my wild idea and he said, okay, let’s give it a go.’ Several years on, the company’s involvement increased and Clare has been sporting the Jaeger-LeCoultre colours for the past 15 years. And the Marquess? ‘He was amazed but proud.’ She continues, ‘I’m a great believer in sport as a positive mechanism for mental health; it’s about being part of a team, not giving up, the desire to do your best – and it gives you a healthy high that improves how you feel about yourself and your wellbeing. At James’ Place we are hoping to partner with a football club to extend our message about men’s mental health, suicide prevention and the importance of team sport. It can be football with your mates, playing golf – anything – but it’s vital to have something for yourself.’ Her children and stepchildren, Lady Tatiana Mountbatten,
29, and Harry Medina, 27, with whom she’s very close after 22 years as their stepmother, all take part in various sports. ‘Harry and Louisa ride, Tatiana is a very talented professional dressage rider and, in 2016, Harry Wentworth-Stanley rowed as part a four-man team, 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, raising over £650,000 for James’ charity.’ I ask her how James’ suicide affected his siblings. ‘It shaped them but it hasn’t defined them. They’re all off doing their own things. Louisa is an adventurer, like James – she spent two years in India and came back for the opening of James’ Place, which was so touching. She works full-time for OKA on the design side and has her own business, Tamra UK, selling copper water bottles, jugs and vases. I’m very proud of them all.’ And the future? ‘The purest luxury for me is time, so I’d like to spend more of it talking to the people around me, friends and those I work with, listening and getting to know them better. Every year I say I’m going to take it easy but, with James’ Place, I’ve got so much to do. There’s just not enough time.’ Clare is an ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre, 13 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4SX. n July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 65
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BEHIND THE LENS
PHOTOS: © ISABELLA LOMBARDINI FOR LEICA
Tamara Ralph is living her own modern fashion fairytale. Kate Finnigan meets the designer taking Paris by storm
Isabella Lombardini captures the magic of Ralph & Russo using a Leica camera
July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 67
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On almost every day of the week, crack teams of couturiers attend client appointments in far-flung parts of the world. ‘They’re very well-travelled women,’ says Ralph. ‘They’re frequent fliers.’ The new ready-to-wear line has enabled them to broaden access to the brand for non-couture customers – couture pieces after all start at around £30,000. In April they opened their latest ready-to-wear store in Monte-Carlo and one in New York is set to launch soon. Ralph looks through Lombardini’s photographs, pausing at one taken during the model casting in Paris prior to the show – a picture of an exquisite feather gown. ‘When I sketched this piece I was originally imagining something that was quite elaborate and then we were looking at the cut and thought: actually, we love this so much let’s keep it minimal. It’s about the colour, it’s about the vibrancy and energy. The team agreed, Michael agreed. And then they came back the next morning and they were all shocked. They said: “Tamara! I thought we said simple.” And I said, “It is simple! It’s only feathers.”’ She laughs, looking at the beautiful pouf of a gown captured in the light. ‘Just thousands of hand-stitched feathers…’ When it comes to show day, the nervous energy backstage can be high. These twice-yearly runway shows are so integral to the brand that the house sends almost every single one of their 400-strong employees to the French capital for two weeks. The atelier team has to be on hand for last-minute details and alterations; the sales team are there to see the elite group of international couture clients. ‘I’m always very anxious on the day,’ admits Ralph. ‘Not about the collection because, by that point, we’ve perfected everything. But that’s the first time the collection is out of my hands. I’m more anxious that no one trips over. I’m glued to the screen watching every move of the models and watching people’s responses.’ This particular collection of 54 looks – each show always culminating in a spectacular bridal gown – was inspired by the Mexican film actress and singer, María Félix, hailed as the most beautiful face in the history of Mexican cinema. ‘She was such a strong, empowered woman,’ says Ralph, ‘so it was a very happy, vibrant, youthful collection – elegant but strong. As a brand we’ve always celebrated femininity and female power, so we love to embrace female artists. And having Isabella, a woman photographer, capture the energy of that behind the scenes was really beautiful.’ Lombardini was fascinated by the entire process. ‘As a photographer who shoots fashion and beauty I see lots of clothes but they’re the finished product on a rack ready to be worn,’ she says. ‘Here I got to see a team of people working on something intently.’ She sat with Tamara the day before the show as the models came in for fittings. ‘Seeing the movement of the dresses was wonderful and, of course, that’s almost the first time Tamara sees them worn too. So she goes up to the model and all of her team are around looking at these tiny details and making amendments. It’s fascinating.’ But some of her favourite shots happened when the show was over – as the models came off the catwalk, having done their jobs. ‘I knew the girls were really proud to be wearing those pieces and so when they came backstage they had these different expressions of relief and joy. It’s such a quick time for them but it’s absolutely exhilarating. A beautiful dress is so much more when it’s worn by someone. It’s nice to be able to capture the woman inside it.’ n
PHOTOS: © ISABELLA LOMBARDINI FOR LEICA
T
here’s a moment captured in Isabella Lombardini’s photographs of Ralph & Russo’s most recent Paris couture show that could have been taken in 1950s London or the 1910s in New York. Yes, perhaps the cameras in the background are something of a giveaway, but the two models photographed backstage, excited to show off their exquisite haute couture dresses for a waiting audience, have an eternal allure. And how could they not when, at the heart of the picture, are two enduring elements – time and human endeavour. No matter what the year, a pleated pink tulle dress, smothered with tens of thousands of sparkling hand-stitched paillettes and Swarovski stones, worn by a woman enjoying herself, will always be breathtaking. Lombardini, a photographer with the German camera makers Leica, was given access to capture the drama, craftsmanship and beauty of the Ralph & Russo world ahead of the London house’s SS’19 haute couture show in Paris in January this year. Ralph & Russo is one of fashion’s most fabulous fairytales. The heroine is Tamara Ralph, who grew up in Australia in the 1980s and '90s, far from the traditional world of haute couture, but taught to sew to a high standard by her mother and grandmother, who had been a couturier back in London, as her own mother had been. ‘Having generations of skills in my family really shaped me,’ says Ralph. ‘When I wanted to be a designer my grandmother said, “How can you be a designer if you don’t know how to put a dress together? How can you make this if you don’t understand how fabric falls?” She really drilled in the technical side so that now, when I sketch, I know how it’s going to work.’ After Ralph moved to London, she met Michael Russo, another Australian, who would go on to be her life and business partner. Their combination of old-fashioned craft and flair for business has led to the creation of one of the biggest and most vibrant couture houses. Sitting in the elegant showroom of Ralph & Russo’s grand Mayfair townhouse, where clients fly in from around the world for appointments, Ralph wears perfectly cut orange trousers and a long-sleeved houndstooth blouse (from the ready-to-wear collection she also designs), along with a sprinkling of diamonds. In 2014 she became the first female creative director from the UK in nearly a century to be accepted to show her collection during Paris Haute Couture week, the highest accolade for any couture house. ‘It was a big moment for us,’ she says in a quietly spoken and understated manner that seems to befit a couturier. ‘We had never done a fashion show before then because we didn’t want to do one until we had that recognition from the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.’ The confidence that they would get it came from the standard of excellence they had set themselves from the very beginning and which early on attracted a clientele that included Angelina Jolie and Beyoncé, designing the opening looks for the latter’s 2014 Mrs Carter world tour. Now they have 250 artisans, including pattern cutters, embroiderers, tailors and other specialists, from over 40 different countries, working in the Knightsbridge atelier.
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PHOTOS: © ISABELLA LOMBARDINI FOR LEICA
‘WE LOVE TO EMBRACE FEMALE ARTISTS. HAVING ISABELLA, A WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHER, CAPTURE THE ENERGY OF THAT BEHIND THE SCENES WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL’
Ralph & Russo invited photographer Isabella Lombardini behind the scenes with a Leica camera to capture the creative process behind the January 2019 Paris Couture Week show
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A MONK’S TALE
Gelong Thubten’s journey from hard-partying actor to globetrotting monk is an extraordinary story of self-discovery, as he tells Lucy Cleland
I catch him on the phone before he’s due to go on stage with Ruby Wax (who herself holds a Master’s degree in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University) and Yale neuroscientist Ash Ranpura as part of a live tour of How to be Human, the bestselling book they collaborated on. My first question of what he is wearing is admittedly banal but I wanted to know if he threw on a pair of jeans behind closed doors or had a secret stash of leather jackets. But no, it’s monk’s robes all the way, albeit he has a few different versions – light cotton for summer, heavy wool for winter etc. Tomorrow he is flying to Peru to give a keynote speech for the UN at the Good Growth Partnership conference in Lima. Sublime? Ridiculous? It wasn’t always this way. Thubten’s back story is one of serious depressive episodes, panic attacks and a burnout so bad, brought on by hard partying and a lack of self-care, that he was bed-ridden for two months. ‘I’m an extreme person,’ he says,
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES; PORTRAIT BY STEVE ULLATHORNE
I
f there was one group of people right now that British Buddhist monk Gelong Thubten would like to impart a bit of his 26 years of teaching to, it would be our politicians. ‘Come on MPs in the House of Commons,’ he’d say. ‘Let’s try some mindfulness.’ Meditation – or mindfulness (Thubten says the words are interchangeable) – has penetrated Western consciousness of late thanks to celebrities – Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman – and industry tycoons – Richard Branson and Arianna Huffington – among them – espousing its virtues in calming anxiety and reducing stress. It has become so mainstream that it has even infiltrated schools (brain breaks), hospitals, prisons, corporations and universities, and Gelong Thubten is one of its most famous teachers. 72 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | July 2019
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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES; PORTRAIT BY STEVE ULLATHORNE
‘I WAS ON THE RUN FROM MY OWN MIND. AS AN ACTOR, YOU’RE ENCOURAGED TO EXPLOIT PARTS OF YOURSELF TO GIVE A REAL PERFORMANCE. IT WAS LIKE HAVING THERAPY WITHOUT THE THERAPIST’
Gelong Thubten (above) became a monk aged 21 after hitting rock bottom as an actor in New York
a smile in his warm, clear voice at the end the of the line. Thubten grew up in Cambridge, Oxford and London in a religiously and culturally liberal Anglo-Indian family. His mother is well-known actor Indira Joshi (currently playing Masood’s auntie, Mariam Ahmed, in Eastenders) and his father is a computer software programmer. And while Buddhism was certainly present in his life from an early age (his parents met when his father was returning from Thailand after being a temporary monk), he describes his upbringing as being spiritually very open to all religions. When Thubten was 17, having gained a place at Oxford to read English, his parents divorced. He can’t, or won’t, say how much this impacted him emotionally but it can only be assumed that it has huge consequences for children however and at whatever age it happens. After Oxford, he pursued a career in acting in London, which eventually took him to New York. It was there that he ‘started to spin out with stress, unhappiness and anxiety’. ‘I felt I was on the run from my own mind. I enrolled in quite a progressive theatre school where we studied method acting. We were encouraged to delve into our pasts – and, for me, this brought on panic attacks. We were encouraged to explore parts of ourselves to give a good performance, but it was like having therapy with no therapists.’ Aged 21, and in a downward spiral of excessive drinking, eating rubbish and not looking after himself, Thubten hit rock bottom when one morning he woke up thinking he was having a heart attack such were the acute pains in his chest. Doctors told him he had atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm that can put sufferers at a five times more likely chance of a stroke), and he was warned to clean up his lifestyle to avoid severe consequences. After a couple of months in bed, being cared for by his mother, in which he turned to the Buddhist books in her apartment (she was also living in the States at that time), he eventually made the dramatic and life-changing decision to go to Scotland to the Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery, the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to have been established in the West in the Sixties. ‘When you’ve really fallen apart, sometimes you have to do something radical to sort your head out.’ Four days after arriving, Thubten became a monk, as part of the monastery’s newly established system of one-year ordination. ‘During the ceremony the abbot said, “Now your old life is dead, and you’re reborn as a new person”. I felt such a relief.’ July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 73
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Thubten now travels the world spreading his teachings
TIM E OU T Two mini mindful practices by Gelong Thubten
THREE-MINUTE MICRO MEDITATION Take in the room around you. Explore the light, the shadows and any sounds. Feel the ground under your feet. Then focus on the contact between your body and the chair.
Gelong Thubten’s book, A Monk’s Guide to Happiness, is published in hardback on 13 June by Yellow Kite, £12.99. gelongthubten.com n
Switch your attention to the texture of your clothing under your fingers, as your palms rest on your knees or the tops of your legs. Notice your shoulders. Maybe they feel tense or tight, but that’s OK. Become aware of the front of your body. Feel how the breath moves your body. Breathe naturally, without effort. Whenever your mind wanders, gently return to the present moment, using your body as the focus.
SKY MEDITATION Look at the sky: maybe it’s clear and blue, or maybe there are clouds. Your mind is like the sky: limitless and spacious. Feel as if your mind slowly mixes with the sky. Keep looking at the sky. When you feel distracted, remember that thoughts are like clouds, and the deep blue sky is always there behind them. Your mind is bigger than your thoughts. Imagine you’re looking beyond those clouds. At the end, close your eyes and focus on your body for a few moments.
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
After a year of several hours of daily meditation and prayer ceremonies, plus his job of making the beds in the monastery’s guest house (visitors were always coming), Thubten realised he was only scratching the surface, so he chose to go into his first solitary meditation retreat for nine months. ‘It was during those months of intensive meditation that I started to really question what I was going to do with my life. Was this just a break or was I going to do something meaningful? I wanted to develop compassion and to do something to serve others. At first it was an agonising decision, but it led to me taking monk’s vows for my whole life.’ And he clearly has no regrets. ‘I was trained by the most amazing person – the renowned Tibetan master Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche. He encouraged me to do retreats and also to give courses – to help people.’ If the thought of nine months of solitary retreat seems extreme, in 2005, after being a monk for 12 years, Thubten was ready for his biggest challenge yet: a four-year meditation retreat on the Isle of Arran with 20 other monks during which time he had absolutely no access at all to the outside world. ‘It was the most intense period of my life,’ he says. ‘Our schedule was around 12 hours of meditation each day, and pretty soon I was really shocked to see how much suffering and sadness I was carrying inside. I’d spend days in deep depression and anxiety where I’d want to throw down my robes and run back to my old life. The first two years were a huge struggle but with the help of the abbot I started to get to grips with meditating and learned how to forgive myself. I started to embrace the sadness and not push it away. The second half of the retreat was totally different, like going from night to day.’ On re-entering the world, he saw that the smartphone revolution had really taken hold – people
had their noses buried in their devices and were scurrying around in high states of stress, always on the hunt for their next hit of dopamine. He was shocked. ‘A very profound change has to take place,’ he says. ‘As a culture we need to recognise that greed doesn’t make us happy. My work with mindfulness is to try to get people to see that happiness comes from within rather than seeing it as a quick sensation or a buzz of excitement that we get from things, and which constantly has to be fed. Mindfulness can set us free.’ Thubten is now in high demand for his teaching. Not only does he work with companies such as Google and LinkedIn, but he has designed mindfulness programmes for fourth year medical students at the National University of Ireland and travels worldwide delivering talks and lectures. He was even asked by Marvel to train Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton in meditation for the Doctor Strange film. This month he’s launching his first solo book, A Monk’s Guide to Happiness, Meditation in the 21st Century, and he will be giving a lecture for the How to Academy (18 June). Frankly, his life sounds like the antithesis of what a monk’s should be. Does he ever reach for a chocolate bar and a coffee or is it brown rice and lentils all the way? ‘Oh, I can definitely reach for the chocolate,’ he laughs, ‘but I also love rice and lentils. And I make sure I practice mindfulness every day, even in tiny moments – such as when making a cup of tea.’ Does he miss anything about his old life? ‘No, nothing. I’m having a great time. I’m really enjoying my life.’ And with that our globetrotting monk goes off to take to the stage with Ruby Wax. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
74 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | July 2019
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OnWatch Written and edited by Simon de Burton
Over 30 pages dedicated to f ine times P00-Watch-Opener-V2.indd 77
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C&TH ON WATCH
Contents 80
THE TIMES What’s hot in the world of watches
82
WHAT’S THAT WATCH Learn the lingo
86
RUNNING LIKE CLOCKWORK Successful secrets to managing your time
90
SEA CHANGE Watch companies taking the environment seriously
92
GOING COMMANDO Military style is making a comeback
94
SECOND IS BEST Where to buy the best vintage timepieces
95
GEOFFREY KENT What does time mean to a great adventurer?
96
PAINT BY NUMBERS Artist collaborations are this season’s hot ticket
98
WORKS OF ART A wrist is the perfect blank canvas
106
WHAT A GENTA Remembering the man behind the most iconic watches
108
OBJECT OF DESIRE Vacheron Constantin’s new perpetual calendar
ON THE COVER Chopard Mille Miglia 2019 Race Edition, £5,560
92
EDITOR’S LETTER
90
I
n the year that’s passed since the last watch special, things have changed dramatically in the horological world (well, as dramatically as can be expected for an industry driven by the cautious Swiss), with some of the greatest excitement being caused by upheavals at the Baselworld show which, for more than 100 years, no selfrespecting watch brand has missed. Until now, that is – because the number of exhibitors this year plunged from a peak of 1,500 in 2015 to a mere 500 or so for 2019, with the most significant abstainers being the dial names of the mighty Swatch group, all 18 of them. There are myriad reasons for the exodus, but one of the main ones is that times are changing dramatically as the internet takes over from live interaction, both as a means of promoting new products and of selling them direct to consumers. Having come through the difficult times of the last three years, many brands want to be more nimble and do things their own way, without being tethered to old-fashioned methods – which is why Breitling, for example (another big name to quit Baselworld), has established
96
a series of international road shows and celebrity ‘squads’ to get its message across. Watchmakers are also increasing their collaborations with other areas of the luxury goods world in order to reach wealthy collectors who inhabit the contemporary art scene or the buyers of high-end cars. But it isn’t exclusively about making healthy profits and, as you’ll discover in our feature about brands helping to save the planet (p90), many are doing their bit to help clean up the oceans by sponsoring scientific studies and making straps from recycled plastic bottles, and even entire watches from melteddown terrorist weapons. n
80
78 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | July 2019
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Baumatic In-house self-winding Steel 40mm
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C&TH ON WATCH | NEWS
THE TIMES Keeping a watch on the world of horology
TIME TO LEGG IT
TAG Heuer and Aston Martin have collaborated on a £295,000 version of the DBS Superleggera GT car. Everyone who buys one of the 50 available cars gets a special TAG Heuer chronograph thrown in. Its dial has similar red detailing and is perforated to emulate the DBS radiator grille, while the strap is made from the same leather as the car’s seats. A transparent case back displays the wheel-style winding rotor. tagheuer.com
TRI ONE OF THESE
CHOCKS AWAY
IWC’s Timezoner Spitfire The Longest Flight 250-piece limited edition heralds this summer’s attempt by pilots Steve Boultbee-Brooks and Matt Jones to make the first round-the-world flight in a restored Spitfire fighter. It leaves England in August and will be flown in rotation by Brooks and Jones between as many as 30 countries, over 27,000 miles and several months. £11,290. iwc.com
Swedish brand Triwa has created a range made from recycled guns. The Triwa x Humanium Metal watches were developed through a Kickstarter campaign that raised £380,000. The metal is from El Salvador, supplied through an organisation that works with governments and NGOs to collect arms used in violent crime. Straps are made from organically tanned leather or recycled plastic bottles. £229. triwa.com
WHY THE BLACK LOOKS?
IT WAS A HARD LANDING
Chanel has given its successful Boy-Friend woman’s watch a mean and moody makeover by interpreting its signature long octagon case in scratch-resistant black ceramic and treating the handwound, skeletonised movement with a dark PVD finish. A black alligator strap completes the Édition Noire, which will be available in 55 examples. £28,250. chanel.com
Among the most collectible Piaget watches from the 1960s and ’70s are those with dials made from hardstone such as tiger’s eye, moonstone and lapis lazuli. This year the brand revisits the material with a new ultra-thin 41mm Altiplano Tourbillon featuring a dial made from a sliver of blue meteorite and a gold, diamond-set case. Just 28 will be made. £109,900. piaget.com
80 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | July 2019
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DEM BONES, DEM BONES…
FAB FOUR
IT’S ALL A BIT FISHY Ulysse Nardin has commissioned erotic comic book artist Milo Manara to create ten saucy illustrations for the dials of a series of watches. Each represents various stages of a fantasy in which a girl is drawn to leap into the sea by the siren call of a mermaid. The girl ends up having a wonderful time, as does a passing shark. Each design is replicated in 20 watches, priced at around £21,000 for stainless steel, £27,000 for rose gold. ulysse-nardin.com
Raymond Weil has released the third in a quartet of official Beatles watches. The special version of its Maestro model pays tribute to the Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band LP that spent six weeks at number one following its release in May 1967. Limited to 3,000 examples worldwide, the watch has a dial based on the famous album cover design by pop artist Sir Peter Blake and features The Beatles logo at the six o’clock position and on the case back, which is also engraved with an edition number. The strap has been made from vegan leather at the suggestion of Sir Paul McCartney. £1,195. raymond-weil.co.uk
Having enjoyed success with a range of ultra-thin Finissimo dress watches made from titanium, carbon, steel, gold and platinum in recent years, Bulgari has now produced the Octo Finissimo Skeleton Ceramic with a blackened ceramic case that measures just 5.5mm thick. A sapphire crystal case back allows a view of the handwound movement. £21,400. bulgari.com
DO STOP WINING
Each one of 12 new watches by Andersen Geneve features a revolving disc that makes one complete revolution every 365 days, gradually revealing handenamelled images depicting the monthly stages of winemaking. Best known for making erotic watches, the Vita Vinum launches the brand’s new series dedicated to art and culture. It costs £39,000, including personalised engraving. andersen-geneve.ch
HE’S PEAKED
British climber Rupert JonesWarner has successfully scaled the infamous Annapurna 1 Main in the Himalayas, one of the world’s most dangerous peaks. The 8,091m mountain has claimed the lives of numerous climbers, but JonesWarner – who last year summited Everest – achieved the climb in two days. He was backed by independent watch brand Linde Werdelin, which supplied him with a £13,200 SpidoLite watch made from ultra-light titanium. The watch was originally developed for a previous Everest expedition in 2007. lindewerdelin.com July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 81
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C&TH ON WATCH | BUYER’S GUIDE
WHAT’S THAT WATCH?
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As the name suggests, this is a mechanical watch that must be manually wound once a day. Hand-wound watches are often favoured by horophiles for being more tactile than automatics. BEST BUY: Montblanc 1858 manual small second, £2,750. montblanc.com
So you want a new watch – but which is the one for you?
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eyond the basic combination of a dial, hands to indicate hours, minutes and seconds, and perhaps a window to show the date, there are myriad variations on the wristwatch theme. Our quick guide to the dozen most popular timepiece types should help you choose.
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Handwound
Automatic
An automatic watch has a mechanical movement that winds ‘automatically’ by means of an oscillating weight that swings to and fro when the wearer moves. BEST BUY: Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in white gold, £21,400. rolex.com
Quartz
In a quartz watch, traditional clockwork is substituted for an electronic oscillator regulated by an electrified quartz crystal. Quartz watches are highly accurate but generally need a battery to power them (they can be solar-powered). BEST BUY: Panthère de Cartier, £19,800. cartier.co.uk
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Chronograph
A watch that can be used to record elapsed times. Usually equipped with one button for starting and stopping the chronograph hand and a second for re-setting it, chronographs often have subdials to mark hours, minutes and seconds. BEST BUY: Chopard Mille Miglia 2019 Race Edition, £5,960. chopard.com
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Retrograde display
Retrograde watches feature displays in which the indicators that show information such as the hours, minutes, time or date automatically revert to their starting point. BEST BUY: Harry Winston Ocean Bi-retrograde automatic, £40,800. harrywinston.com
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Chronometer
A chronometer is a watch containing a movement – quartz or mechanical – that has been awarded a certificate for accuracy having been tested at a variety of temperatures and in a variety of positions. The most widely recognised testing agency is the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomeètres, or COSC. BEST BUY: Bremont Solo, from £2,895. bremont.com
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C&TH ON WATCH | BUYER’S GUIDE
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Minute repeater
The minute repeater was designed in the days before electric light when gloomy surroundings made it difficult to read the time. The minute repeater sounds the time on demand using a series of tiny gongs, with the most sophisticated being able to indicate hours, quarter hours, and minutes. BEST BUY: Louis Vuitton Voyager Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon, around £225,000. louisvuitton.com
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Perpetual Calendar
One of the most complex horological mechanisms, a perpetual calendar automatically accounts for short months and leap years without the need for manual adjustment. Theoretically, the most sophisticated could remain accurate for more than a century if kept running. BEST BUY: Breguet Classique Grande Complication, £247,100. breguet.com
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Calendar, day-date, annual calendar, weekly calendar
A calendar watch displays the date through an aperture within the dial or by a pointer system. A simple calendar shows the number, a day-date also shows the day and a triple calendar the day, date and month. An annual displays the day, date and month and a weekly shows the number of the week. BEST BUY: Patek Philippe Calatrava Weekly Calendar, £25,610. patek.com
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Tourbillon
In this mechanism, a movement’s escapement and balance wheel – which regulate the release of mechanical energy – are contained within a rotating cage to negate the effects of gravity. It was designed for pocket watches and is less relevant on a wrist watch, but collectors appreciate the skill. BEST BUY: Graff Gyrograff Great Wall of China, around £710,000. graff.com
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Dive watch
A true dive watch must be waterproof to a minimum of 100 metres according to ISO standard 6425. It should also have a uni-directional bezel for calculating air time, a screwdown crown and case back, and a rubber strap or metal bracelet. The crystal should also be extrathick and non-reflective, and the dial should be dark with bold, luminous markings. BEST BUY: Breitling SuperOcean II 44, £2,860. breitling.com
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Smartwatch/ Hybrid
Using Bluetooth to operate with a mobile phone, smartwatches can be loaded with apps and pick up notifications. A hybrid combines smartwatch functionality with traditional aesthetics. They usually feature electronic movements but Frederique Constant’s Hybrid Manufacture 3.0 is the first to feature a mechanical one. BEST BUY: TAG Heuer Connected Modular, from £1,000. tagheuer.com
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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
RUNNING LIKE CLOCKWORK What does time mean to you? We speak to four experts to find out how they make the most of it
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C&TH ON WATCH | MEANING OF TIME
GERRY McGOVERN
XENIA ZU HOHENLOHE
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Xenia zu Hohenlohe is the founder of the Considerate Group, an organisation that helps businesses in the hospitality industry to improve their eco credentials and provide a more environmentally sustainable service. She divides her time between Munich and the Considerate Group’s London headquarters
Time is absolutely key to me nowadays and my attitude to it has changed dramatically since I was younger. I have lived in both Spain and Mexico and one of my main memories from those two countries was the extraordinarily relaxed attitude to timekeeping. As someone who is half German and half English I used to despair of the inability of anyone to keep an appointment – even if you arranged to meet someone for lunch they almost invariably turned up an hour late. There is no doubt, however, that having that carefree approach to time reduces the likelihood of stress – and not being a slave to time improves one’s quality of life. But, as any working mother knows, the only way to survive each day is to have quite a structured attitude to timekeeping. My work keeps me on the road every other week so I have to plan everything quite meticulously in order that the days run smoothly. I manage to do most things more or less on time, something I facilitate by keeping my watch set in a sort of ‘grey zone’ that’s between five or ten minutes ahead of the actual time – that way I arrive at places roughly when I’m supposed to. For travelling I wear a robust and inexpensive plastic Swatch, but my ‘good’ watch is a beautiful Cartier Tank with a black dial. It’s a vintage model, bought from Grays Antique Centre in London more than ten years ago. I didn’t previously possess a good watch and then one day I saw it, and it just spoke to me.
Looking back I realise I used to be preoccupied with time in terms of having to be here or there at a specific moment. But the value of time has become greatly more significant as I’ve matured – and that means I no longer waste time on things such as attending futile meetings or being with people I don’t really gel with. Now I do things at my own pace and have discovered that I work more efficiently because I’m calmer and more relaxed. Making more time for myself means I can train four or five times a week which, I think, benefits both the body and the mind. And since I’m based away from my wife Olga and our nine-year-old daughter Vanessa from Monday to Friday, I make sure I spend as much time as possible with them when I’m not working. The idea of a good worklife balance is a bit of cliché, but when you find it – and I feel I have – you definitely realise the benefits. My taste in watches has also changed with time. From an early age I’ve been interested in clothes and I regard wearing a nice watch as an important aspect of dressing well. I bought my first really good watch, a Rolex Submariner, around 20 years ago. I then started buying others of different makes and types and eventually owned 14 – but I’ve now settled on five watches that appeal to me from a design perspective and that suit the clothes I wear and the way I live my life. I have two Patek Philippe Nautilus models: a classic automatic version, which has proved to be a remarkable investment, and a world time model that I wear for travelling. I also have two Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks, both of which are real statement watches – a rose gold automatic with a matching gold bracelet, and a platinum and titanium chronograph. The fifth watch is a recent purchase, in fact I’m still awaiting delivery. It’s another Rolex, a yellow gold Cosmograph Daytona with a rare emerald green dial. I like it because it has that South of France look, which makes me think of relaxing with my family.
Land Rover’s chief design officer Gerry McGovern is responsible for creating some of the most successful cars in the firm’s history, including the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Freelander and Discovery models. He divides his time between homes in the Midlands and London
July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 87
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C&TH ON WATCH | MEANING OF TIME
TIM JEFFERIES
VANESSA BRADY
Vanessa Brady OBE is an interior designer and founding president of the Society of British & International Design (SBID). She lives in London
I have a troubled relationship with time because I try to do too much and am therefore always late. I spent many years working with Italians and people from the Middle East, who are famously bad timekeepers, and I developed their habit. The way we use time has changed dramatically, most obviously as a result of the internet. From the moment we wake up we check emails and social media and it becomes a habit that’s very difficult to get out of, even though it’s often unnecessary. I thought Meghan Markle’s comment – about quitting social media being ‘freeing’ – summed up the situation very well. The expectation of immediacy that the internet has created has filtered into most other areas of life; the idea of taking time to do something really well is a concept that fewer people understand. That can be problematic in the interior design business when people decide they want a job to be done instantly – but don’t realise the amount of time needed to get it right. My favourite way to escape the pressure of all that is to sit down once a day with a china cup of Earl Grey and do some brain exercises. I also set aside three hours a week to be with my personal trainer and an hour a week for tango dancing. But whether I am working, relaxing, dancing tango or anything else, one thing remains the same – I always have my watch on my wrist. It is a Patek Philippe Nautilus with a diamond-set bezel. I bought it almost 20 years ago and hardly ever take it off.
As I approach 60 my perception of time has changed dramatically, the two major drivers being children and, of course, age. I’m aware that I’m going to be around for a little bit longer, but in the greater context of things it really is going to be no more than a little bit, so it’s my intention to continue to extract the most out of life. Nowadays that means spending as much time as possible with my family. I’ve also started to reflect on the amount of time since I established Hamiltons Gallery – it has now been 36 years since I set it up and I feel absolutely blessed that, for all those years, I’ve been doing something that I really love. As a result the time has flashed by and I’ve witnessed the art and process of photography move at a similarly lightning pace. Photography has only been around for the last century and a half, yet it has already changed immeasurably due to digital equipment and the fact that everyone who has a smartphone can now be a photographer of sorts. My hope is that people will spend more time looking at traditional photography, at the skills required to frame, light and capture a subject in the days before everything could be adjusted using a computer. When it comes to my personal timekeeping I’m afraid I am never early for meetings – despite the fact I’m a complete horophile and love collecting watches. I particularly like the IWC Big Pilot, of which I have two, but my dream is to own a Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar split second chronograph. Right now I’m wearing a Rolex GMT Master in gold. It’s about 15 years old and, rather like an old Porsche, it looks good and is functional and indestructible. In the past few years, however, I have gone back in time in a sense – as a teenager, I always loved the Kawasaki Z900 motorcycle, the Ferrari 512 BBi that I had a poster of on my bedroom wall, and the Porsche Design P011 chronograph worn by actor Lewis Collins, who played Bodie in the TV series The Professionals. I’ve recently bought all three objects. n
Tim Jefferies is the founder of Hamiltons Gallery in Mayfair, which specialises in top quality fine art photography by lensmen including Horst P. Horst, Don McCullin and Nobuyoshi Araki. The latest show, of work by Erwin Olaf, runs until 16 August
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C&TH ON WATCH | ECO
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Oris funds eco agencies that are implementing visionary methods of cleaning up the world’s waters in the Oceans Project; Breguet Marine Race for Water Special Edition; Kelly Slater, Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore picking up hundreds of kilos of rubbish as part of the Breitling and Ocean Conservancy beach clean-up; Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Ocean Conservancy; Panerai Submersible Mike Horn Special Edition
SEA CHANGE
T
he end of the world is nigh! Or so it seems – but don’t panic, because the Swiss are going to sort it out. Or, to be more Swissly precise, the country’s watchmakers are putting their shoulders to the wheel and doing their bit to save our seas. So if you’re out on the briny and spot a field of solar panels bearing down on you from the horizon, it’s probably just the Race for Water vessel that’s being sponsored by the Breguet watch brand on its five-year global odyssey to raise awareness of the parlous state of the world’s oceans. The Race for Water craft is entirely driven by green energy – a combination of hydrogen, kite and solar – and has prompted Breguet to create a special version of its Marine watch just for the crew. But available now to one thousand regular punters (boat pun(t) intended) is Breitling’s SuperOcean Heritage Ocean Conservancy special edition, which was unveiled last month in Bali with the help of the brand’s ‘Surfers Squad’ of eco-warriors that comprises 11-times world surfing champion Kelly Slater and Australian professionals Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore. The trio helped launch the watch, along with a host of volunteers, by picking hundreds of kilos of rubbish from the beach as a practical demonstration of the fact that a remarkable 80 per cent of all marine
waste is plastic-based – a statistic that some watch brands are addressing (albeit in a tiny way) by reusing the errant material in their products. Panerai, for example, has created 19 eco-friendly divers’ watches in collaboration with explorer and environmentalist Mike Horn. At £34,800 each they feature recycled titanium cases and straps made from reconstituted plastic waste. Those who buy (or receive) one will get to meet the celebrated adventurer, conservationist and polar explorer among the ice floes of the Arctic, where they will undergo ‘a few days of intensive training’, both
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PHOTOS: © CAROLINE POWER; ©ANDREW SUTTON; ©ROLEX/FRANÇOIS SCHAER
As an American diver completes the deepest ocean dive in history only to discover plastic 6.8 miles below the surface, watchmakers are stepping in to do their bit to save our seas
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: The Oris Blue Whale limited edition timepiece comes in a case made from recycled plastic bottles; IWC Schaffhausen Aquatimer Automatic Edition; Omega Planet Ocean 600m GoodPlanet model; Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec Manta Trust; conservationist Kerstin Forsberg at work; Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III
PHOTOS: © CAROLINE POWER; ©ANDREW SUTTON; ©ROLEX/FRANÇOIS SCHAER
to challenge themselves and to learn more about the negative impact of human activity on the ecosystem. Oris, too, has set out to save the seas with its support of the Oceans Project, which funds eco agencies trying to implement visionary methods of cleaning up the world’s waters. Earlier this year the brand launched the first of three limited-edition watches dedicated to the cause, the Great Barrier Reef III, followed by the Clean Ocean limited edition. The third and final model, the Blue Whale limited edition, has just been released along with the news that 200 sets of the trio will be made available – each one delivered in a presentation case made from recycled plastic bottles. The collectible sets go on sale this month, priced at 9,600 CHF (around £7,470). Blancpain, meanwhile, became a founding supporter of the World Ocean Summit in 2012, since when it has introduced an ongoing series of Ocean Commitment versions of its celebrated Fifty Fathoms dive watch. The latest edition, the Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III (£13,120), is limited to 250, with £ 87 5 per sale going to eco projects – and each buyer invited to private Ocean Commitment
events about Blancpain-sponsored expeditions. At IWC Schaffhausen the eco focus is on the Galápagos Islands, where the brand donates an annual six-figure sum towards the protection of its ecosystem. It’s the latest initiative in a history of marine conservation that dates back 15 years, to when the firm first sponsored the Cousteau Society’s work to protect the world’s coral reefs. The ties with the Cousteau family remain through the Aquatimer Automatic watch (£4,750) and the Aquatimer Chronograph (£5,900), both in the Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau collection, while funds for the Galápagos are raised through another pair of Aquatimer models – the Galápagos Islands and Expedition Charles Darwin editions – each costing £8,650. The brand also created a special 500-edition £9,950 Aquatimer Sharks model to highlight the plight of 100 million sharks killed annually, many after being entangled in trawler nets. Omega, meanwhile, offers its Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m GMT GoodPlanet model – with part of the £5,440 price being donated towards the restoration and protection of the Indonesian coast around Bahoi and the island of Tanakeke. And the latest player to offer the feel-good factor as an incentive to buying your next underwater watch is Carl F. Bucherer, which has made 188 versions of its Patravi Scubatec Black Manta Special Edition to raise cash to protect giant manta rays in more than 20 countries around the world. Again, a chunk of the £5,500 sale price goes to charity, this time the Manta Trust. In fact, now seems to be a good time to be a manta ray – Rolex too is helping protect them, having awarded over £70,000 to conservationist Kerstin Forsberg in 2016 as part of its Awards for Enterprise scheme. Forsberg, a 35-year-old conservationist, is studying the giant fish in the waters off northern Peru through her NGO, Planeta Océano. n July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 91
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FROM TOP: Bremont’s Armed Forces collection; Vertex M100B timepiece
GOING COMMANDO
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Stand to attention for the revival of military-style timepieces
t might be 80 years since the start of World War II but it seems that time has done little to diminish the appeal of the classic military wristwatch. In a seamless transition from the battlefield to the bar (and other benign lifestyle locations), the explosion in popularity of ‘mil-look’ watches has been nothing short of howitzer-like. The story of the original waterproof wristlet watch – commonly known as the WWW – dates back to the end of WWII in 1945 when the Ministry of Defence introduced what is believed to have been the first standard specification for a military timepiece before commissioning 12 Swiss-based manufacturers to produce them. The standard decreed that the watches should be waterproof and shockproof, with matte black dials, Arabic numerals, luminous hands and hour markers, an outer minute track and a shatterproof crystal, all surrounded by a stainless steel case to house a movement of specific size. As a result, the so-called Dirty Dozen watches from 12 manufacturers (Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, JaegerLeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor and Vertex) all looked more or less the same. Military watch geeks have been collecting these originals
for decades but manufacturers have only revived the look relatively recently, bringing it up to date with larger, more modern case sizes than the relatively puny 36mm originals. Regular Country & Town House readers may remember our 2017 watch supplement interview with Don Cochrane, who has single-handedly revived the Vertex company established by his great-grandfather in 1916. Vertex was one of the original 12 MoD-approved military watch suppliers and, following its relaunch with the M100 model, based on the firm’s original WWW, Cochrane has now introduced a blackened version called the M100B (£2,624) and a new model called the MP45 (£3,480) that’s based on a single button chronograph supplied postwar to the Royal Navy. Another British brand, Bremont, may not have sold its first watch until 2007, but the loyal following it has developed among members of the armed forces has helped it to become one of a handful of luxury watch manufacturers officially allowed to use the signs, symbols and insignia of all three services – the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Bremont has marked the moment with three new Armed Forces models, none of which would have looked out of place
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C&TH ON WATCH | MILITARY
FROM TOP: Longines Heritage Military; Panerai Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech; Omega Seamaster 300m; Hamilton Khaki Field Murph
in an officers’ mess back in the ’40s. The entry-level model is the £2,595 Broadsword – a standard WWW design in a 40mm case – followed by the £2,795 Argonaut, with an inner rotating bezel, and the Bremont Arrow, a monopusher chronograph costing £3,595. And if you’re not hung up on the specific MoD look, there are plenty of other military-style watches to choose from. Panerai’s new £34,800 Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech, for example, takes a design originally created for Italian navy divers during the 1940s and gives it a modern twist with a carbon case and rubber strap in army green, while Omega’s Seamaster 300M (£4,470) replicates the design of a model often supplied for naval use, in a more contemporary 41mm case. Those whose military watch budget has been constrained by economic cuts need not despair, either. To get the look for less, eyes right to models such as the £1,410 Longines Heritage 1945 – a watch based on an original wartime model recently returned to the Longines manufacturer – or the £1,550 Heritage Military. The brand also offers its Legend Diver models (from £1,550) that hark back to the type issued to military divers during the 1950s. The American-rooted but now Swiss-owned Hamilton brand, meanwhile, has a history of military watchmaking that dates back to WWII when its entire production was channelled to the country’s troops, with more than one million watches being shipped overseas as part of the Allied war effort.
The classic black dial Khaki Field models evoke those original 1940s pieces and are among the brand’s most popular products. This spring a limited edition £835 Murph version – that replicates the watch seen by millions in the 2014 blockbuster Interstellar starring Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain – was added to the collection. In the film, McConaughey plays NASA pilot Joseph Cooper, who is called out of retirement to take part in an interstellar mission to find a new planet that humanity can escape to in the face of a dying Earth. He gives his watch to his daughter Murphy (Chastain) and communicates with her from the fifth dimension through a Morse code message that appears on the seconds hand. Shame they hadn’t thought of that during WWII. n
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C&TH ON WATCH | VINTAGE
Second-hand watches have become such big business that Richemont bought Watchfinder
SECOND IS BEST knock-on effect of the boom experienced by the luxury watch biz during the past 15 years is that the pre-owned market is now awash with second-hand pieces of every conceivable make and model, a fact that the brands find rather irksome for a variety of reasons – not least because more and more people who explore the pre-owned route are discovering that watches in as-good-as-new condition can often be bought for a fraction of their original retail price. Indeed, the competition from second-hand sellers has become so significant that, 12 months ago, the Richemont luxury goods group – owner of brands such as IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier and Panerai – spent an undisclosed sum to acquire Watchfinder, a UK-based pre-owned watch business that was founded in 2002. Operating online and from seven boutiques, the business had grown its turnover from less than £12 million in year one to more than £120 million by the time of the sale. The quantity of used and new watches becoming available via the back door also means that the so-called ‘grey market’ traders are having a field day. Usually internet-based, these sales platforms list watches for sale that are being made available for well below RRP by usually unauthorised, and sometimes maverick, dealers who like to buy stock cheaply and move it on at what appears to be a bargain price.
Such watches are typically offered on leading grey market websites such as Chronext and Chrono24 – but buying from them can mean a watch comes without a warranty card or dealer stamp, making the date of manufacture uncertain, invalidating guarantees and leaving the watch open to rejection if it is subsequently sent to an official service centre. Those minor details haven’t prevented Cologne-based Chronext from attracting 2,000 retailers who offer watches on the site in a ‘reverse auction’ process based on the lowest price and fastest delivery time, while Chrono24 – one of the longest established grey market e-tailers – turns over more than € 1 billion every year by advertising new and used watches for sale and making money by taking 1.5 to 2.5 per cent from dealers and up to 6.5 per cent from private sellers on each sale. Understandably, the brands get decidedly upset when watches from their current catalogue appear on such websites at significantly below recommended retail prices, not least because it undermines the value of the product and the brand itself. All the same, there are few of us who don’t appreciate a bargain – even when it comes through a slightly unofficial source. But, as the old saying goes, ‘You pays your money and you takes your choice’. Just let it be the right one… watchfinder.co.uk; chronext.co.uk; chrono24.com n
PHOTO: © DIDIER GOURDON
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Second hand doesn’t mean second best, just be careful about the source
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C&TH ON WATCH | INTERVIEW
Q&A
GEOFFREY KENT ‘Well-travelled’ doesn’t come close to describing the 76-year-old head of the Abercrombie & Kent group that has been satisfying the wanderlust of the well-heeled since 1962
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The spirit of adventure – Geoffrey has been adventuring ever since he was born on a safari expedition
ent was born on safari in Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia) and grew up ‘running wild’ on the family farm in Kenya, from which he became the first person to motorbike the 5,000 unpredictable miles to Cape Town – at the tender age of 16. After Sandhurst, the inveterate traveller enjoyed a distinguished military career before being forced to quit as a result of hearing damage from spending years in the turrets of combat tanks. By then, aged 25, he took over the A&K business from his father and has since visited ‘most of the world’s countries’. Highlights of his globetrotting career include climbing Kilimanjaro, circling the Earth via the Equator and hiking to the Buddhist temple known as the Tiger’s Nest, sited 3,120m up a near-vertical cliff face in Bhutan. Kent was officially the last person in the 20th century to stand on the North Pole and, in December last year, completed his most challenging adventure yet when he took seven guests to Antarctica in the type of style that has become an A&K trademark: they flew eight hours in a Gulfstream jet and landed on the firm’s privately constructed ice runway at a place called Wolf’s Fang, where the summer temperature seldom exceeds -20°c. Here, he gives some typically no-nonsense answers to six quick questions about his relationship with time…
1
As an inveterate traveller, how important is time to you? Time is everything.
My watch is always ten minutes ahead of time, which means I never miss a meeting – and I have never missed a flight. It’s my way of tricking myself into never being late.
2
What was your first watch?
Until I joined the Army I was a completely free spirit, running wild in the splendour and drama of untamed Africa. I had no need for a watch until I arrived at Sandhurst – at which point I was issued with my first one, a standard military model.
3
If you could travel through time, where and when would you choose to end up? I would
4
What type of watch did you wear for your recent South Pole trip, and why?
simply go back to where I started in Nairobi, Kenya, where my whole adventure began in 1962 – after revisiting my childhood when I used to eat hot dogs and drink milkshakes. The only difference would be that I would like my wife Otavia and our twins Geoffrey Jr and Valerie to be there too.
Roadster de Cartier chronograph watch, £9,100. cartier.co.uk
Geoffrey took seven lucky guests on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Antarctica
It might not sound like an obvious choice, but whenever I’m on an expedition – which is approximately 270 days per year – I wear a Cartier Roadster chronograph with a silver dial and rubber strap. Whether I’m diving in Palau or walking the salt flats of Bolivia, it’s on my wrist. And it was with me at the South Pole. Is the Cartier your favourite watch? No, my favourite is my self-winding Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, which has a rose gold case.
5 6
Would you care if you could never carry a timing device again? Care? I would be
completely lost – punctuality is my absolute obsession. n July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 95
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C&TH ON WATCH | ART
PAINT BY NUMBERS Wear your art on your sleeve with one of these artistic collaborations
FROM TOP: Joe Tilson Venetian watch by Swatch; nonagenarian British artist Joe Tilson; Richard Mille RM 68-01 Tourbillon Cyril Kongo watch; street artist Kongo; Shepard Fairey Hublot Big Bang Meca-10
to the well-heeled collectors of the contemporary art world – so it’s not surprising that, last year, high-end maker Richard Mille signed a partnership with Frieze, giving it a presence at the shows in London, New York and Los Angeles to go with its sponsorship of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the largest centre for contemporary art in Europe. In keeping with the collaborations, Richard Mille commissioned street artist Kongo to decorate the mechanisms of 30 watches in vibrant colours using miniature spraying equipment to coat each tiny component with specially developed paint. There’s nothing small about the price, however – each watch costs more than £500,000. Hublot is strengthening its art world ties through collaborations with French sculptor Richard Orlinski, who has created a series of tourbillon watches based on his wire sculptures, including one with a sapphire crystal case that costs £114,000. The brand has also partnered with ‘guerrilla’ street artist Shepard Fairey, best known for his Hope portrait of Barack Obama displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. His design for Hublot appeared on two, 100-piece editions of the Big Bang Meca-10 watch featuring ‘tribal floral’ engraved cases in blue or grey and using the artist’s ‘star gear’ symbol as part of the mechanism. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but art, as they say, is purely subjective. So, if you do like it – Fairey’nough. n
PHOTOS: © DIDIER GOURDON
F
ew would deny that a well-made timepiece is a work of the utmost craftsmanship. But a watch can be more than a mere display of micro-engineering prowess, because it can also serve as a miniature canvas that allows you to wear your art on your sleeve (or somewhere just beneath it). Artistically decorated watches with enamel dials, automaton scenes and elaborate engravings have been around for centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that things got funky when the fledgling Swatch brand began to invite contemporary artists to use its inexpensive, plastic creations as miniature blank canvases. Swatch has since created special editions in conjunction with major names including Keith Haring, Kiki Picasso and Helmut Newton. The catalogue of ‘Swatch & Art’ watches now numbers more than 200 models with the latest (produced by nonagenarian British artist Joe Tilson) being unveiled at the Venice Biennale, of which Swatch has been the main sponsor for five years. Backing such events makes for a handy ‘in’
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RM 016 automatic watch in 18kt red gold and Alcรกzar diamonds, Richard Mille. T-shirt, Raey at MatchesFashion.com
Creative watches at the flick of a wrist Art Director URSULA LAKE Photographer MATTHEW SHAVE
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Écritures de Chaumet watch in pink gold, diamond pavÊ and gold leaf with a self-winding mechanical movement, Chaumet. Vest, Raey at MatchesFashion.com
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Panthères et Colibri enamel watch set with diamonds and emeralds in a white gold case and alligator strap, Cartier. T-shirt, Gap
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La Mini D de Dior MosaĂŻque in steel, diamonds and mother of pearl, Dior Watches. Vest, Gap
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Arceau Robe du Soir watch in rose gold with leather mosaic dial and calf skin strap (limited edition of 12), Hermès. Vest, Raey at Matches Fashion.com
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Lady Arpels Ronde des Papillons watch with diamonds and mother of pearl set in white gold, Van Cleef & Arpels. Vest, Gap
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Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 Alec Monopoly watch, TAG Heuer
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Classic Fusion Tourbillon Orlinski Sapphire watch, Hublot. T-shirt, Raey at MatchesFashion.com TEAM Model: Nastya Cherkasova @ Next Model Management Hair and make up: Jaimee Rose using MAC Pro Nails: Cherrie Snow using YSL Beauty STOCKISTS: PAGE 140
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C&TH ON WATCH | LEGEND
Gerald Genta, ‘the Picasso of watchmaking’
WHAT A GENTA
H
Supporting the next generation of designers by remembering a watchmaking legend
e has been dubbed ‘the Picasso of watchmaking’ – yet while Gerald Genta is widely regarded as the most influential watch designer of the 20th century, he is relatively little-known outside the horological world. But that’s set to change following the decision by his widow, Evelyne, to create the Gerald Genta Association, which aims to raise awareness of his achievements while supporting future generations of watch designers through everything from events and exhibitions to education and solid financial sponsorship. Genta, who died in 2011 aged 80, created designs for dozens
of manufacturers but is best remembered for conceiving landmark pieces such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the Omega Constellation and the IWC Ingenieur SL – all models that have achieved ‘classic’ status. Born in Geneva in 1931 to a Swiss mother and Italian father, he trained as a goldsmith jeweller before being recruited by the watchmaker Universal where, at the tender age of 23, he produced his first stand-out design in the form of the SAS Polerouter that commemorated the early flights of the Scandinavian airline, SAS, from Copenhagen to Los Angeles via the North Pole.
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Patek Philippe benefitted similarly from the Genta touch, with his creation of the FROM TOP: IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur SL timepiece; porthole-shaped Nautilus in original sketch of the Royal Oak design for Audemars Piguet; Evelyne Genta has founded the Gerald Genta 1976, as did Cartier after Association in her late husband’s memory to nurture young he designed the Pasha. talent; Gerald Genta with one of his creations in the 1980s In 1969, Genta established his own By the 1960s Genta’s talent had come eponymous dial name to the attention of other major dial but continued to work names and he was operating as with other clients, notably a freelance ‘pen for hire’, having started designing extravagant out by driving from manufacturer one-off clocks and watches to manufacturer in Switzerland’s watch for fabulously wealthy clients, valley, where he sold his designs for including the kings of Spain, just ten Swiss francs apiece. Morocco and Saudi Arabia, Having already been the Sultans of Oman and Brunei commissioned by Omega and even the British royal family. to reimagine its Constellation From 1983 to 1999, Evelyne Genta travelled the collection, Genta received an world with her husband as his business manager, emergency call from Audemars developing new markets and building the Gerald Piguet on the eve of the 1971 Basel Genta brand before it was sold to Bulgari in 2000, watch fair to work up a design for allowing him to fulfil his moniker as the ‘Picasso’ of ‘an unprecedented steel watch’ – and watches and devote more time to his love of painting – deliver a drawing suitable for showing although he continued to develop watch designs, leaving to the brand’s Italian distributor the a legacy of around 4,300 finely finished sketches, which his following morning. widow keeps carefully archived. In one single overnight sketching Mrs Genta now lives in London, where she serves as session he is said to have created the Monaco’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. Explaining octagonal Royal Oak, its bezel held in her decision to launch the Gerald Genta Association, she told place by visible screws inspired by the Country & Town House: ‘I was encouraged by many people in look of a diving helmet and its metal the watch industry who pointed out to me the bracelet being the first to be integrated fact that, while his work is well known within to the watch head, connecting seamlessly the profession, Gerald is not getting the credit to the case with tapered links. he deserves for his achievements and the power The final version was officially of his name is not being used to its full potential. launched at the 1972 fair as the most ‘In his later years he used to say that, while the expensive steel sports watch ever marketed, movement side of the watchmaking business seemed with a price of 3,650 Swiss francs. to be developing quickly, the design side was lacking. Initially a sales flop, the Royal Oak took off I think he would say the same today, which is why in 1974 after Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli was seen the association will work towards encouraging sporting one over the top of his shirt cuff – and and rewarding promising young design talent. now, 45 years and numerous iterations later, ‘We will be giving prizes and awards it remains Audemars Piguet’s flagship model to designers who come up with watches that and the brand’s strongest seller. are actually wearable, something that Gerald would have been insistent about,’ says Mrs Genta. ‘He always said that his work was art, but it was an applied art – he was adamant that everything he ever drew could immediately be turned into a real watch that could be worn tomorrow, just as he had designed it.’ One of the association’s first initiatives has been to establish the Gerald Genta Prize, an annual award that will recognise the achievements of talented young watch designers. The first will take place in Paris in December and, in addition to a main prize, there will be separate categories designed to recognise talent from individual regions such as Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East. geraldgenta-heritage.com n July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 107
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C&TH ON WATCH | OBJECT OF DESIRE
BEAT IT Vacheron Constantin’s new perpetual calendar doesn’t skip a beat
A
mong the most technically impressive new watches of 2019, Vacheron Constantin’s £195,000 Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar is a micro-mechanical marvel that sweeps away the age-old thinking that the mainspring of a mechanical watch can only run for a pre-ordained amount of time. The Twin Beat incorporates not just the conventional single balance wheel, but dual balance wheels that operate at different speeds. Apologies in advance for the unsolicited insomnia cure, but the single balance wheel takes energy from the mainspring and converts it into an oscillating action that contributes to an even delivery of power to the gear train, thus ensuring accuracy. The faster the oscillations – which are measured in vibrations per hour (vph) or hertz – the more accurate the timekeeping. Slower oscillations allow power to remain in the mainspring for longer, meaning the watch has to be re-wound less often. With the Twin Beat, however, the wearer can switch between an ‘active mode’ frequency of 36,000 vph when the watch is being worn and a ‘standby mode’ of a mere 8,640 vph when it’s not being used. The benefits of this are that the watch is extremely accurate when on the wrist, but will run autonomously for more than 65 days when set aside – particularly useful on perpetual calendar watches (which automatically account for leap years and short months) because they are usually complicated and time-consuming to re-set. What is really impressive is that Vacheron Constantin has managed to fit the 480-part handwound movement into a relatively slim, 42mm platinum case and create a dial that indicates the mode setting, power reserve, time, date, month and leap year status with absolute clarity. (Twin) beat that, if you can... vacheron-constantin.com n
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P R I C E M AT C H G U A R A N T E E D | I N T E R E S T F R E E C R E D I T | B I G G E S T S E L E C T I O N O N V I S P R I N G B E D S
andsotobed.co.uk | 0808 144 4343
Bridport ︱ Bristol ︱ Bury St Edmunds ︱ Chelmsford ︱ Cheltenham ︱ Glasgow ︱ Handcross Harrogate ︱ Hartley Wintney ︱ London, Chelsea ︱ London, Finchley Road ︱ London, Richmond London, West End ︱ Manchester ︱ Nottingham ︱ Oxford ︱ Tunbridge Wells ︱ Weybridge
And So To Bed.indd 1
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TOM FAULKNER
KIT KEMP
TIM GOSLING
PANDORA SYKES
LORD SPENCER
TARA BERNERD
MARTIN HULBERT
NINA CAMPBELL
MARTYN LAWRENCE BULLARD
The
HOUSE GUEST
New to Country & Town House, The House Guest podcast – exclusive interviews with the biggest names from the world of design and decoration
P O D C A S T
@countryandtown /countryandtownhousemagazine /countryandtownhouse countryandtownhouse.co.uk
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I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
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LIVING INTERIORS DESIGN
THE INSIDER
HIGH DRAMA
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER STARK
A Martin Kobus interior turns decorating on its head by making the ceiling the star with a hand-painted wallpaper. ‘Symphony’, on black silk dupion with nickel pearlescent antiquing. From £389 per 1.22m vertical repeat. degournay.com
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THE INSIDER
Take inspiration from Jaipur’s Bar Palladio
The Block Hut napkins, £48. theblockhut.com
Emma Shipley fabric, £39 p/m. clarke-clarke.com
Laura Elizabeth chandelier, £POA. lauraelizabethglass.com
Albion bath, from £1,428. albionbathco.com
T R E N D
RHYTHM IN BLUES
Jonathan Adler pitcher, £88. uk.jonathanadler.com
Azure, navy or midnight: just add white The most beloved of colour combos, blue and white still evokes contemporary cool. Emulate Jaipur’s iconic Bar Palladio by mixing up patterns, styles and shades for a bold full-room scheme, or add ceramic accents for a subtler splash of colour. Every room wears it well – just decide whether you’re channelling Greek coastal charm or English country classic. n
Francesco de Maio tiles, £275 for 25. artemest.com
TOAST baking dish, £32.50. toa.st/uk William Yeoward williamyeoward.com
Marimekko plate, £32. marimekko.com
Laskasas chair, £1,088. laskasas.com
Baobab candle, £75. amara.com Khalique cushion, £230. khaliquelondon.com
The Mews quilt, from £195. themews furnishings.com
Milo Made glasses, £60. anewtribe.co.uk
Lalique lamp, £2,900. lalique.com
Falcon tumbler, £7. falconenamelware.com
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arty style, smarty prices decorative lighting from pooky.com
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THE INSIDER
FOLLOW YOUR DREAM Debby Tenquist’s passion for textiles ignited while studying the ancient Mughal and Ottoman empires. Botanica Trading fabrics, £140p/m. thefabriccollective.com
WELL STACKED
Paul Smith turns ordinary into extraordinary in this collaboration with 1882 Ltd, artistic vessels created from plates. From £1,600. 1882ltd.com
I N T E R I O R S
DESIGN NOTES
Things to feather the nest. By Carole Annett JOIN THE IN-CROWD Dominic Mylands, whose family paint business supplies Buckingham Palace and Harry Potter film sets, confides that this paint hue is one of their bestsellers. Borough Market paint, £26 per litre. mylands.com
NOW YOU SEE IT Life Kitchens’ all-in-one design has bi-fold doors so once closed, you won’t know it’s there. From £25,000. life-kitchens.co.uk
OUTDOORS TYPE
A frustrated search for outdoor cushions for their own garden furniture led Hampshire-based friends Melissa and Fi to set up made-to-measure service Amelfi. amelfi.co.uk
BIG SPENDER
THG Paris make taps for swanky houses and hotels like the Shanghai Peninsula. Basin mixer by architect Xavier Cartron, £POA. london.thg-paris.com
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ME OL D CHINA
MOON DANCE
Nightbloom by Marcel Wanders for Lladró, white porcelain hand-sculpted petals positioned around LED lights, giving a subtle, ethereal glow. From £1,000. lladro.com
INDIANA JANES
Founded by sisters Rajeeta and Rolly Gupta, House of Raro, now with a St James’ atelier, celebrates modern Indian furniture. Coyote sideboard, £119,000. rarolondon.com
LOST AND FOUND Hamilton Weston specialises in custom-print wallpapers, often reimagining a design from a fragment. This is from the Marthe Armitage collection, chosen by interior designers Home and Found in a family house project. hamiltonweston.com
NATURAL TALENT
Bethan Gray’s design talent plus Nature Squared’s love of natural materials equals a goose feather table. £8,485. naturesquared.com
1 Hend Krichen, £40. hendkrichen.com 2 Melody Rose, £46. melodyrose.co.uk 3 William Edwards Home, £38. williamedwardshome.co.uk 4 Fortnum and Mason, £28. fortnumandmason.com 5 William and Son, £86. williamandson.co.uk 6 Wedgwood, £105. wedgwood.co.uk
PRIVATE TOUR A glorious romp through England’s finest houses. Life in the English Country House by Mark Girouard, £70. foliosociety.com
RACK ‘EM UP Keep magazines close at hand. Rattan magazine rack, £70. houseofhackney.com
NOTE FROM A KNIGHT ‘Intelligent design should be accessible to all,’ says Sir Terence Conran. Take heed and check out the Alto four seat sofa. From £1,749. contentbyterenceconran.com July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 115
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THE INSIDER F O C U S
STICK IT TO ’EM
Super-scale wallpaper transforms a room, making a small space seem bigger, says Carole Annett
1 Olga Polizzi, design director of Rocco Forte hotels, commissioned Adam
Ellis to create a bespoke hand-painted wisteria wallpaper for Brown’s Hotel. roccofortehotels.com; adamellis.com 2 Mythical Land mural by Kit Kemp for Andrew Martin. andrewmartin.co.uk 3 Inspired by its collection of modern Brazilian tapestries, Fromental created the wall covering Raw with Maresca Interiors, featured here in its London studio. marescainteriors. com; fromental.co.uk 4 Summer mural by Mary Moser from The Royal Academy of Arts collection at Surface View. surfaceview.co.uk 116 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | July 2019
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THE INSIDER
D E S I G N
LIT T L E BL ACK BOOK
Q & A
MATILDA GOAD
The homeware designer on how to inject character
CUTLERY Matilda Goad matildagoad.com
Last piece of art you bought?
Matilda Goad for MatchesFashion.com
My husband and I recently bought a piece by Faye Wei Wei – her art is so characterful yet classical.
D. Porthault fabric
What would you never throw away? Love letters
and cherished memories.
Most recent find? Some super stylish brass shades that are at a reasonable price point. I am using them on wall light fittings.
Who do you have your eye on? Sunbeam Jackie
makes the most beautiful parasols by hand using unique printed florals.
Most extravagant thing you’ve bought? I have to take
a bit of a gulp when ordering fabrics, but they are so worth it. I am currently lusting over D. Porthault fabrics.
TILES Made A Mano madeamano.com
What do you collect?
Gold lustreware coffee sets. What’s beside your bed?
I’m usually trialling a new lampshade – I like to live with products before we produce them. Presently, it’s a white linen scallop shade that is due to launch this summer.
House warming present? Something
delicious from Lina Stores is always welcome in my home. And I like to bring potted plants in my scallop tole planters.
FABRIC Lake August lakeaugust.com
Scallop tole planter
Unsung design hero?
Fresh, considered linen. Your bed is the largest unit in your home and shouldn’t be left behind.
GLASSWARE Milagros milagros.co.uk
How can we live more self-sufficiently?
Start with the small things such as growing your own herbs – it’s very satisfying and I would love to grow more of my own produce over time. FURNITURE Gong gong.co.uk
What are you currently working on? I have
What should never have seen the light of day? Lino floors. I’d rather
Where do you find inspiration?
been putting my designs to paper in the form of a line of stationery in collaboration with Papier.
Everywhere – from walking to my local shop in west London to road tripping around South America or our wonderful British seaside towns.
Matilda Goad’s tabletop collection is exclusive to MatchesFashion.com n
not bring the bleakness of public changing rooms into my home.
Matilda Goad x Papier
LITTLE LUXURIES Rococo Chocolates rococochocolates.com
July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 117
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Two hours and a world away from London
THE EASTBURY HOTEL Long Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3BY Tel: 01935 813131 Email: relax@theeastburyhotel.co.uk www.theeastburyhotel.co.uk
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24/05/2019 17:04 28/05/2019 09:34
EAT DRINK ESCAPE
FOOD & TRAVEL C A P E
V E R D E
ISLAND NATION
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
There’s more to Cape Verde than package holidays. Adventure beyond the resorts to find the real ‘African Caribbean’, says Sam Kinchin-Smith
Leave behind the resorts to find a slice of real island life
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‘S
Cesária Évora
uch ten little pieces of land / that God scattered across the sea / belong to us,’ sang Cesária Évora on the final track from her 1988 debut, La Diva Aux Pieds Nus – the barefoot diva. Listen to the morna folk songs popularised by Cape Verde’s most famous daughter and you’ll swiftly sense that something unusual is afoot. The music is simple yet intricate, familiar but strange. It manifests in love songs, mostly, but the recurring subject isn’t a lover, it’s the islands of her ‘Petit Pays’. What is this place that inspires such devotion? And why on earth is it regarded – in the UK anyway – primarily as a fallback option for package holidays and cheap winter sunshine? Fly into Sal and this tension begins to explain itself. Attempts to market this desert island (in the strictest sense) and its neighbour Boa Vista as the ‘African Caribbean’ – 350 miles west of the continent – have foundered on its parched moonscape of scrub, orange rock and unfinished concrete. It makes for an unpromising taxi ride from the airport, until you reach the sea, and realise that Sal’s raison d’être is a ring of perfect white and turquoise beaches. Bridging the gap between hell and heaven is a suite of all-inclusive hotels leading up to the pier of Santa Maria, where multicoloured fishing boats moor up to hawk enormous yellowfin tuna. The Oásis Atlântico Salinas Sea resort is a comfortable
and generous mix of complimentary cocktails and beachside aerobics, with an unbeatable location and a vibe that is on point for both families and couples. The new Hilton, next door but one, is an architectural marvel, its foyer, restaurants and bars partially uncovered, open to the sunshine and breeze, which means my company at breakfast is a pair of songbirds, understandably drawn to the still-warm pastries. Treat both hotels as a paradisiacal airport lounge: that’s my advice. Your flights to and from Cape Verde will probably land on Sal, so bookend your trip with beaches and yachts. I spend the day before my midnight flight home with Cape Verde Sailing, snorkelling and photographing sea turtles and flying fish. Then suddenly we find ourselves surrounded by dolphins and pilot whales, and I’m urged to leap into the sea, cling onto a rope, and skim between the bottlenoses. So that’s Sal, the island with the least going for it. The Brits are mostly more than happy to stay there but it’s time for me to fly to Mindelo on São Vicente, Cape Verde’s cultural capital and Évora’s birthplace, so dedicated to her memory that the airport, a native butterfly and a newly discovered species of sea slug are named after her, and its most beautiful building – the coral-pink Palácio do Povo – contains a museum-shrine. After Sal’s resorts the urban energy is refreshing: here is heritage, counterculture, hustle. And music, which I can only find in tourist bars until, late one night, a dreadlocked man with a limp leads me to Livraria Nho Djunga, the music shop hang-out of Mindelo’s community of musicians. Here they can jam with visiting cavaquistas from the other islands, in front of an audience of beatniks drinking cheap grogue, the Cape Verdean rum. Then a fierce, chain-smoking woman
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; DANIJEL MIHAJLOVIĆ OF MADHOUSE HEAVEN, MADHOUSEHEAVEN.COM
Santo Antão, the jewel in Cape Verde’s crown
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FOOD & TRAVEL
stands up to sing Évora covers, and everybody falls silent. I spend one night in Mindelo’s best international hotel – another Oásis Atlântico property, the Porto Grande, hung with local tapestries and serving stuffed breads and poached pears for breakfast, with a fine balcony overlooking the city’s central square – and one night at its best boutique hotel. Kira’s, an exquisitely restored colonial townhouse, was the childhood home of managing partner Isabel Spencer. Its roof terrace and downstairs courtyard must be among the most tranquil spaces in the city. Cape Verdean prosperity shifted from west to east in the 20th century, Isabel explains, as I feast on goat’s cheese from the mountains and cachupa stew – to Praia on Santiago, Cape Verde’s other ‘big’ city – as Britain abandoned its interests in Mindelo, which date back to 1838, when the East India Company built São Vicente’s first coal deposit. Nowhere is this narrative of faded glamour more apparent than at Chave d’Ouro, where I’m silver-served obliterated fish and tinned vegetables with a panache that might best be described as Wes Anderson-colonial. Early the next morning, I jostle my way onto the ferry to Santo Antão, the jewel in Cape Verde’s crown. My shipmates reveal themselves to be surprisingly susceptible to seasickness as we chug past the iconic Ilhéu dos Pássaros lighthouse and towards the volcanic cliffs. As I drive up out of the harbour of Porto Novo, desert metamorphoses into humid rainforest before I emerge into the bright alpine air of the island’s higher altitudes. Santo Antão lays on a succession of charms, linked by the dramatic hikes that are the island’s Palácio do Povo principal USP for the small number of travellers who have heard of it. One day it’s a tiny bar down the track from a ruined synagogue, serving local Strela beer alongside natural pools fed by the Atlantic spray; the next it’s the miraculous Fontainhas village, nestling between three sheer mountaintops and reachable only via zigzagging, Machu Picchu-esque paths. The most renowned Santo Antão trek goes through the Valle de Paúl, over the lip of a grassy crater and then down, down, down all the way to the sea, through a dreamscape of dairy farms and grogue distilleries and vistas that, more than anything else I’ve seen here, make sense of why Évora’s articulation of Cape Verde’s modest magnificence is so deeply meant – and felt. The village of Fontainhas, Santo Antão
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; DANIJEL MIHAJLOVIĆ OF MADHOUSE HEAVEN, MADHOUSEHEAVEN.COM
LATE ONE NIGHT, A DREADLOCKED MAN WITH A LIMP LEADS ME TO THE MUSIC SHOP HANG-OUT OF MINDELO’S COMMUNITY OF MUSICIANS. HERE THEY CAN JAM WITH VISITING CAVAQUISTAS
Fresh local garoupa
Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort from £199 (hilton.com). Oásis Atlântico has four properties in Cape Verde (oasisatlantico.com). Kira’s from £75 (kirashotel.com). Boat trips (cvsailing.com) n July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 121
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TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE... CHARENTE OR DORDOGNE?
While tourists may head for the betterknown Dordogne, British expats have long discovered the Charente Limousine region, where their numbers well exceed 20 per cent of the population, helping to keep schools open, houses occupied and traditions alive. With gently rolling hills, lush forests and fields of Limousin cattle, the region has fine Romanesque architecture. Confolens, St-Germainde-Confolens, Brigueuil and Lesterps are all noteworthy, as are the Haute Charente Lakes, havens for nature lovers and water sports. The nearest towns are Limoges (airport, with flights from the UK), Angoulême and Cognac.
DOMAINE DES ETANGS, MASSIGNAC, FRANCE
1
Stepping into another world, one that’s harmonious, calm and natural. ‘You are going to paradise,’ said the driver taking us from Limoges airport (40 minutes away), and he was right.
2 T R A V E L
N E W S
THE HOTEL WIZARD Fiona Duncan has a natural attraction to France
The 11th-century château, made gracious in the 19th century, and its brilliant modernist interiors by acclaimed designer Isabelle Stanislas, including amazing lighting…
3
… With the art collection of owner Garance Primat that includes Picasso and Matisse.
4
Camille Muller’s unconventional ornamental gardens, with lake views and sculptures by the likes of Richard Long…
5
… And the spiral potager for the Michelin-starred restaurant, Dyades...
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The Sothys spa in an old walnut mill: soothing massages and a couples’ room set around the wooden mill wheel.
GO AU NATUREL IN FRANCE
My blissful time in the Charente made me long to rediscover the French countryside and outdoor life (1) Normandy Just pop your bikes on the ferry to Dieppe for coastal scenery and D-Day beaches, or Cherbourg for the remote and lovely Cotentin Peninsula. Book your own accommodation or an organised tour. thechaingang.co.uk; biking-france.com (2) The Ardèche Perfectly suited to families. Kayak along the region’s magnificent gorges and camp on the riverside. the-outdoor-experience.co.uk (3) The Cévennes Follow the GR70 Stevenson Trail, so-called after Robert Louis Stevenson, who walked across the Cévennes from Le Monastier in the Auvergne, with his donkey Modestine. These days, Modestine can be replaced with less troublesome forms of baggage transportation. sherpaexpeditions.co.uk
The dreamy 2,500-acre Charente estate: meadows, woods, wildlife, red-gold Limousin cows and seven lakes on which to row, fish and cycle past.
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The huge attic playroom for adults and children: fancy dress, table football, billiards and much more.
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The picnics: wicker baskets full of tempting delights.
Again – the peace, the understated luxury, the gentleness.
FRENCH FANCIES A new collection of boutique five-star hotels in Provence, St Tropez and Méribel has been launched by fashion and property entrepreneur Patrick Pariente and his two daughters. maisonspariente.com
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Doubles from ¤350. domainedesetangs.com
ON TH E T R AV EL R A DA R PILLOW TALK With the help of sleep experts and scientists, Danish designer Ann Sjøgreen Sanger has designed the brilliant zip-away Snoooze travel pillow. Easy to compress, heaven to lay your head on. £39.99. snoooze world.com
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TIME TO CHANGE YOUR VIEWS Come on a JC Journey
PILGRIMAGES
BATTLEFIELDS
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA HOLY LAND ROME & ASSISI PATMOS ST PAUL IN CORINTH ST BENEDICT IN ROME MEDJUGORJE NORTHERN LIGHTS GOZO & MALTA FAITH THROUGH ART, ST PETERSBURG AND MANY MORE…
WATERLOO SOMME MONTE CASSINO ANZIO NORMANDY PALESTINE BOSNIA ARNHEM OP MARKET GARDEN COLDITZ PENINSULAR WAR ROME TO FLORENCE (44) AND MANY MORE…
VILLAS HOTELS CHALETS WINTER SUN
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ESCAPE
EURO ZONE
The hottest places to summer in Europe, from island hopping in Greece to château sitting in France and drawn-out Spanish siestas. Edited by Daisy Finer DANAI BEACH RESORT HALKIDIKI
Greek culture is all about generosity and conviviality, and this little Aegean beauty embodies this from the moment you check in until the final ‘yassou’. It’s no surprise that the resort, on the northern peninsula of Halkidiki, is a family affair. Originally built as a modest family home, it’s slowly expanded year on year – a true labour of love – to become the 64 suite, six-villa paradise it is today. Sprawling views, a private beach, award-winning wine cellar, and a cobbled lane of boutique shops make Danai feel like its own little
village, neatly perched on the Aegean sea. Cliffside fine dining at Squirrel (voted number one restaurant in Greece) maintains the warm and jovial hospitality felt throughout Danai, but for a big fat Greek knees-up, dine al fresco at Bachtses. The tables are there to be danced on as much as they are to be eaten off of – don’t worry, everyone does it. If you fancy a day trip, the resort’s very own 82ft yacht is the perfect way to explore the Sithonia peninsula in style – not that you’ll ever want to leave. BOOK IT: Suites from £375. danairesort.com
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FOOD & TRAVEL
MARPUNTA RESORT SANTIKOS COLLECTION, ALONISSOS
Jagged cliff edges meet crystal-clear, deep blue waters and views out to Skopelos. Opt for rooms with a sea view from the cliffs, or the private villa. A glorious private beach lures guests away from the Aegean vistas, with white pebbles sloping into a turquoise sea and a large protruding rock piercing the cove (good to aim for when swimming or paddle boarding). Overlooking this heavenly seclusion is a vast pool flanked by a cocktail bar and restaurant Achinos. The menu here is an artful blend of Mediterranean tradition and modern culinary gusto, sophisticatedly presented but bursting with rustic flavour. Pair the fresh seafood with the Santikos family’s own wine, Moschato. Those seeking to take the edge off this Greek hedonism can choose from an abundance of yoga and fitness classes or hike the island’s fragrant hills and olive groves with a guide, weaving up through pine-clad forests to the Old Town. The hotel recently opened an outdoor cinema on the waterfront, beautifully projected against its old stone patio and helipad. It's right out of a ’70s Bond film, with themed evenings, from classics to sci-fi. BOOK IT: Seven nights from £1,025. olympicholidays.com
PRICES ARE FOR DOUBLES PER NIGHT B&B UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
ELIVI HOTEL SKIATHOS
Skiathos is the largest island in the Sporades, its eponymous capital a maze of bright white streets sloping down to a busy port. Twelve miles away, a modernist update of the local cubic whitewashed architecture sits deep in a pine forest on the peninsula’s shoreline. Up on a hill overlooking the indigo blue sea, guests breakfast on a limestone terrace and the
hotel rooms beneath step out into a shared lap pool. In a quiet bay nearby, guests doze on cream linen daybeds. A five-minute buggy ride away, a nook of villas and a pool with a lifeguard sit behind a beach where local families build sandcastles. There’s also a naturist enclave, enjoyed by evenly-tanned northern Europeans. Nearby, protected wetland Lake Strofylia is home to black swans that stray onto the beach during the day and emerge in fowl-themed art around the hotel. Olive and almond trees surround its three restaurants, candlelight flickering over garlicky baked fish, tuna sashimi or Japanese teriyaki beef. In the Elemis spa, treatments use organic ingredients – a lime salt and ginger scrub is followed by a pine, sea fennel and rosemary mask. An Elysian paradise. BOOK IT: Five nights from £740. elivihotels.com; quintessentiallytravel.com
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FOOD & TRAVEL
SANTA MARINA RESORT & VILLAS MYKONOS
Whether you’re looking for a chic grown-up getaway or a luxe escape with the kids in tow, the perfectly polished and whitekaftan-clad Mykonos jet set flock to Santa Marina for an annual sun-worshipping retreat. Located on a secluded peninsula 3km from bustling Mykonos town, it’s the only resort on the island with its own private beach. There’s also a glorious seawater infinity pool, a family-friendly pool (right by the bar so you can snack while the kids splash) and the island’s biggest, most luxurious spa. Nine suites among the 101 rooms have picturesque private pools, plus there are family-sized villas if you want a more intimate escape. Check out the old town of Hora, which is the perfect place for early evening meandering (so long as you don’t mind a lot of foot traffic in peak season). And if you have time take a day trip to Delos, it’s well worth a visit by boat, home to one of the major religious centres of the ancient world. Back at Santa Marina you’ll find the Colonial bar and restaurant serving fresh local flavours and the world’s first Buddha-Bar Beach, which is ideal for vermilion-sky, sea-view sundowners. BOOK IT: From £360. santa-marina.gr
VILLA APASA CORFU
Villa Apasa would fall into the see-it-to-believe-it category were it not for the fact it remains unbelievable once you’re there. When approaching its private seafront by boat, the six-bedroom villa, set on a ninestremma (one Greek stremma equals 1,000 sq/m) clifftop site, looks like something out of a James Bond movie. The dramatic entrance, through huge wooden doors from India, leads guests into the 20-metre
sitting room, past a grand piano and enormous sofas, and smack into the most breathtaking view: east to the coast and mountains of Albania, the magical site of ancient Butrint in full view, and south to mainland Greece and the islands of the Ionian sea. The unreal shimmer of magnificently blue sea isn’t the only water to gawk at – sleek swimming pools sparkle on white stone terraces, the upper pool trickling into a lower one via a four-level waterfall with lush greenery surrounding it. Bedrooms boast at least one wall of glass through which to gaze at the horizon, plus their own unexpected and impressive features. Think: private landscaped garden with a Jacuzzi and wide marble steps leading to a sunken double bath. Chef Veronica Drysdale wows with fresh seasonal suppers and discreet staff keep everything in good nick. Oh, and there is a glasswalled lift that takes guests down the cliff to sea level. BOOK IT: One week from £39,790. villacollective.com
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IKOS ARIA
PRICES ARE FOR DOUBLES PER NIGHT B&B UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
KOS
This island has finally shrugged off its reputation as the place for partygoers and water park enthusiasts in favour of a more refined holiday. The brand spanking new Ikos Aria is helping put Kos back on the map for luxury jetsetters with a sprawling beachfront property that beautifully combines contemporary style, traditional hospitality and spectacular views out to the glittering Aegean. And they’re redefining ‘all inclusive’ too, with restaurants curated by Michelin-starred chefs, over 300 wines to enjoy, and – most astonishingly – the option to dine out at the island’s best eateries at no extra cost (make sure to head to ALI for proper local cuisine). That’s the real game changer: being
encouraged to get out and explore rather than hide anonymously away – much helped by the hotel’s fleet of Minis, perfect for a trip to nearby wineries or Kos Town for artisan shops and views of Bodrum so clear you can see the houses. Of course, that’s if you can drag yourself away from the miles of manicured beach, Anne Semonin spa, private pools and huge variety of activities on offer; with diving lessons, pedalos, water polo and windsurfing all available daily (again, all included). You find yourself wondering how they do it all for such a reasonable price, but then you’ll sip on your umpteenth cocktail, order a Greek salad to your sunbed, take a breath and remember to just lap it all up while you can. BOOK IT: Seven nights all inclusive per person including flights and transfers from £1,368. sovereign.com
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CHÂTEAU SAINT-MARTIN & SPA VENCE
It would be difficult to visit Château SaintMartin & Spa without making an occasion of it. Perched high on the hills overlooking the picturesque medieval town of St Paul de Vence, the winding road on approach builds up to a beautiful reveal of sumptuous French luxury and style. This prestigious Oetker Collection hotel reopened its doors in April last year to debut spa enhancements by interior designer and architect Bergit Countess Douglas of MM Design. You’ll be glad to join spa partner La Prairie on their eternal quest for youthful beauty through scientific innovation. Forget meddling with
supposedly luxurious ingredients you’ve never heard of and get straight to business with the caviar body treatment and La Prairie’s caviar massage. Be lifted, firmed and elasticised by nature’s most exquisite bounty before heading for a swim to show off your shimmering skin. If visiting for the day, book a spa experience from a long inventive menu that includes ‘A Dream in Provence’ – it lives up to its name with lunch at the hotel’s oneMichelin starred restaurant, Le SaintMartin, and access to the infinity pool. Alternatively, stay the night and enjoy the rooms’ famed views that take in the Côte d’Azur from Nice to Cannes. BOOK IT: From £271. oetkercollection.com
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FOOD & TRAVEL
HÔTEL CRILLON LE BRAVE PROVENCE
Perched on a ridge above a valley of vineyards, this boutique hotel looks towards Mont Ventoux – the toughest leg of the Tour de France. Its intimidating climb and terrifying descent is the subject of much debate among Lycra-clad bikers while they load up on pain au chocolat. The limestone buildings that once housed a 17th-century school, town hall and artist’s studio are now en suite rooms with roll-top baths, Bamford shampoo and cream linen sofas arranged on flagstone floors. The hotel’s spa is housed in a centuries-old, stone ex-stable. Quiet streets easily conjure the farmers who once led their horses into the vaulted stables where guests now gather for evening drinks. Restaurant La Madeleine takes flavours from Provence and the chef’s native Brittany; the waiter’s peregrination around the vast cheese selection becomes a soliloquy worthy of Racine. By day, guests read Le Monde Weekend by the pool, the mountain soaring above with a snow-topped peak even in summer. Now part of a small, family-run hotel collection called Maisons Pariente – worth keeping an eye on. BOOK IT: From £306. crillonlebrave.com
PRICES ARE FOR DOUBLES PER NIGHT B&B UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
LA BASTIDE DE GORDES VAUCLUSE
Perched atop 12th-century fortifications on the edge of the hilltop village of Gordes is La Bastide de Gordes, a spa hotel with sweeping views of the Luberon valley and mountains. Arranged over ten floors, it is home to 40 rooms and suites, a Sisley spa, four swimming pools and three restaurants, including Peir, from acclaimed multiMichelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire.
The 1,600sq/m spa, with church abbey-inspired architecture and vaulted corridors, immediately imparts a sense of calm. The staggered hillside setting means that for once the spa isn't banished to the basement; instead, the treatment rooms benefit from natural light with sun-dappled private terraces for open air massages beneath ancient olive trees. The spa also houses a sauna, sensory showers, a compact gym and an indoor pool, which is open at one end to the Luberon valley. The highlight of this hotel has to be the outdoor pool edged with loungers, a perfect spot for taking in the unparalleled views. Classified as one of the prettiest villages in France, Gordes itself is a charming village with cobbled streets lined with shops selling the region’s famed lavender honey. BOOK IT: From £262. labastidedegordes.airellescollection.com
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FOOD & TRAVEL
ATZARÓ IBIZA
It couldn’t be any fresher: Ibiza, jasmine and lemons, bright skies and a breeze, random roaming chickens, a veg patch with twists of artichoke, indoor fires, white beams, white walls. This is a family-run finca with its roots in nature. The food is wholesome excellence and based on a farm-to-fork philosophy. Expect treats such as Iberian ham and homemade croquettes, roasted pumpkin salad, suckling pig and excellent burgers and chips, done as they should be. There’s a chic, Asian-style spa with outdoor double daybeds, yoga classes, a gym, hammam and cool outdoor modern sauna pod. Treatments draw on Ayurvedic, Balinese and Thai traditions – therapists work intuitively. Bedrooms are simple comfort and there’s a groovy beach club, a sister restaurant 20 minutes away and even a dance floor (many weddings happen here). For extra privacy stay in the adjacent villa with its own pool, perfect for larger groups. The little on-site boutique shop supplies nearly every wish, so you don't need to leave the premises. All you have to do enjoy yourself. Which isn't hard. This is an intimate under-the-radar find with all the bells and whistles usually found only at much bigger, splashier resorts. BOOK IT: From £149. atzaro.com
SON BRULL MALLORCA
The scent of oranges is all it takes to win you over. Situated in the northern part of Mallorca near Pollença, Son Brull is a former monastery dating back to the 12th century. The hotel is the perfect rural sanctuary: cobbled stone courtyards, massive grand doors and an ancient, majestic olive oil press in Restaurant 365. A newly-built spa comes complete
with wood and stone and pays homage to the original architecture. Dark colours and contemporary furniture ground guests in timelessness and peaceful silence. Orange groves on the property inspire the spa’s particular focus on getting back to nature and reconnecting with the earth. Three treatment rooms, set in the palatial garden that's surrounded with the scent of local flowers and herbs, overlook the beautiful countryside and hills of northern Mallorca. Give yourself over to one of their seasonal therapies, such as The Spring Ritual, which utilises prickly pear and the essence of its flower to rejuvenate through a scrub, body mask, facial treatment and stretching massage. BOOK IT: Seven nights B&B from £1,551 per person including flights and transfers. sovereign.com
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HACIENDA DE SAN RAFAEL
PRICES ARE FOR DOUBLES PER NIGHT B&B UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
ANDALUSIA
Mustard yellow earth, shuttered windows, a bougainvillea-filled courtyard, private verandas, hushed gardens. Beg and borrow to get here, San Rafael will steal your heart. This is one of Spain’s secret gems. The non-hotel hotel. Discreet, handsome, run and loved by the family who live here. You can walk around barefoot, listen to the birds waking up, snooze on a sunbed next to one of three glimmering swimming pools, pluck an orange from a tree or read a book next to the fireplace in the sitting room. There are just 14 rooms, all of them super-pretty, and
beds come with electric blankets for colder nights. A villa for families is in the making and is sure to be a hit for those seeking even more privacy. If you can stir yourself, visit Seville, Jerez and Cadiz; go horseriding, enjoy cooking lessons, explore the region. But it really is tough leaving the place. There's a mass of lovely nooks to loll in and the staff will do anything to please. Lunch will warrant a long afternoon siesta: huge house salads, Manchego, fried squid, spot-on guacamole, Spanish omelettes. They make excellent puddings and even children will love the vegetables. Put it on your list. BOOK IT: From ÂŁ280. haciendadesanrafael.com n
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FOOD & TRAVEL
Q & A
THE BUCKET LIST Tony Bennett’s haunts in London and New York. By Holly Rubenstein
Tony would like to visit India to find inspiration for his paintings
What’s at the top of your bucket list? Although I have toured in almost every country in the world, I have never been to India. I have always had it in my mind that it would be such a spectacular setting for a concert. And, as a painter, I know that the vibrancy of colour and light would be endlessly inspiring.
Honeymooning at Belmond Hotel Splendido
You’ve toured the world many times over. Where was most memorable? London – and I say this not because
HAPPIEST HOLIDAY?
Tony performs at the Royal Albert Hall this month
Shortly before I perform in London, I will be celebrating my 12th wedding anniversary with my wife Susan. One of my favourite and happiest holidays was our honeymoon trip. We stayed in Saint-Paul de Vence in France and then in Italy just outside of Florence, along with a few days in Portofino at the Hotel Splendido. It was a perfect trip.
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; © MARK SELIGER
I am going to be performing at the Royal Albert Hall this month (June), but because the British public have been so good to me ever since I first came to England in the 1950s. It’s a second home to me when I perform there and I am thrilled at the age of 92 still to be able to travel and sing for my fans in England.
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Merced River, Yosemite
The Ritz
Favourite hotel? That’s a tough one but I have to say The Ritz in London. I have a favourite suite, the staff and service are fantastic and it’s close to the Royal Academy, which I like to visit. Hidden gem? I am a self-proclaimed museum junkie and my home city of New York is filled with world-famous museums. But there is a not so wellknown art destination called the Hispanic Society Museum and Library on 155th Street in Manhattan, which is a beautiful place to visit, especially if you are a fan of the Spanish artist Sorolla – which I am.
Yosemite National Park
Where do you always eat well? One of my favourite Italian restaurants is just a few blocks from where I grew up in Astoria, New York, where we founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. It’s called Piccola Venezia and whenever I go in they just bring me whatever they have cooking. My favourite three foods are pasta, pasta and pasta – but luckily my wonderful wife Susan makes sure I don’t overdo it and stay in shape. In London, I happen to love Harry’s Bar (who doesn’t?) and The Wolseley.
If you had to recommend one place for us to visit, which would it be? If you are coming to the US then it would have to be any of our national parks: Yellowstone, Yosemite, or the Grand Canyon. There is nothing like the views from these locations and I have said it often but it’s true – nature never disappoints.
Where have you learned something new about yourself?
When you need to unwind, where do you escape to? I don’t have to go far as I have an art studio in my NYC apartment. Being both a performer and a painter has been a beautiful yin-yang relationship that has enabled me to never get burned out. As a singer, being on stage is a very gregarious endeavour. Painting is the exact opposite as it’s just myself and a blank canvas.
During the making of my Duets II album, I was in Pisa to record with Andrea Bocelli and took a side trip to Podargoni, where my family is from. I sang O Sole Mio on the same hill that my father did, overlooking the town. It was a very powerful experience.
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; © MARK SELIGER
Restaurants, jazz and museums make NYC the place to be
Reconnecting to his Italian roots on a trip to record in Pisa with Bocelli
COUNTRY OR TOWN HOUSE? TOWN HOUSE. I WALK OUT OF MY APARTMENT AND HAVE ALL THE RESTAURANTS, JAZZ CLUBS AND MUSEUMS JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY IN ANY DIRECTION. Tony Bennett is performing at The Royal Albert Hall on 28 and 29 June. royalalberthall.com July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 133
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FOOD & TRAVEL You can’t visit Cambridge without a punt on the river
STAY The glorious University Arms – which, when it first opened as a 15-bedroom coaching inn in 1834, was the city’s first hotel – has swung open its doors with a reformed character after new ownership brought in classical architect John Simpson and interior designer Martin Brudnizki to work their magic.
W E E K E N D E R
CAMBRIDGE Take a punt on a weekend of high culture, says Mary Lussiana
Beggarstaffs at Fitzwilliam Museum, until 4 August
DO Punt down the beautiful River Cam. Book with Rutherford’s and recline on the cushions as you are steered past the Backs, a section of the river which seven university colleges back onto – from the oldest Clare College, founded in the early 14th century, to the magnificent King’s College Chapel.
W
BOOK IT Doubles from £205. university arms.com
ith England’s weather warming up, weekends on our own sceptred isle look increasingly alluring. Cambridge hits the top of the list with a gorgeous new hotel to stay at while punting down the River Cam or culture-vulturing around the museums. Dip in and out of the impressive colleges, lingering at King’s College whose foundation stone was laid by King Henry VI in 1441 – and don’t miss the chapel with its exquisite fan vaulting. Then enjoy watching time travel at the Corpus Clock, invented by John C Taylor (an old Corpus Christi collegian) and unveiled in 2008 by Stephen Hawking. Stop for a drink at the newly unveiled University Arms and make
The Bridge of Sighs
for the library, where the selection of books tempts you to stay for longer than a weekend. Upstairs, the 192 rooms draw on a palette of Cambridge blue with warm touches of deep red and mustard yellow. Take a turret room for the sheer beauty of the bathroom, where a free-standing tub sits on a chic black and white tiled floor, surrounded on three sides by windows overlooking Parker’s Piece, where the rules of football were invented in the 19th century. Opening out onto that greenery is Parker’s Tavern, all wood panelling and bold cartoons. Here, chef patron Tristan Welch delivers his utterly delicious take on the modern British kitchen. Try the devilled potted shrimps from Norfolk, the Somerset truffle risotto with Berkswell cheese or the house-smoked chalk stream trout with wild chervil sauce. n
SEE The Fitzwilliam Museum has a rich collection of European art spanning 800 years (fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk), while Kettle’s Yard offers changing exhibitions within a historic house (kettlesyard.co.uk). BUY Books, books and more books. Visit the huge Waterstones on Sidney Street, Heffers on Trinity Street and the Cambridge University Press on the oldest bookshop site in the country.
EAT Mutton puddings, game pies, burnt cream and a bon bon trolley. What’s not to love about Parker’s Tavern? Only a chef trained by Ramsay, Rhodes and Roux could make something this old-school feel bang up to date. parkerstavern.com
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; THE BEGGARSTAFF BROTHERS, A TRIP TO CHINATOWN MUSICAL POSTER, 1895 © DESMOND BANKS / IMAGE © VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON
T H E
THE ESSENTIALS
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FOOD & TRAVEL HERITAGE DINING
Catch the International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition at Blenheim Palace followed by a one-off dinner overlooking the private gardens as part of a new themed supper club series. 11 July. blenheimpalace.com
ALL ABOARD! You can have your hake and eat it aboard The Grand Duchess, the new floating seafood restaurant from the brilliant team behind London Shell Co. Focusing on supreme British fish that’s delivered daily and a smashing list of sparkling wines, this is the closest you’ll get to seaside dining in the heart of the city. londonshellco.com/the-grand-duchess
TODAY’S SPECI A LS LISTEN To your favourite Dire Straits tune with a Mark Knopfler G&T in hand. He’s now the Sultan of Gin. £40. masterofmalt.com
N E W S
INVEST In the Rolls-Royce of coffee machines. De’Longhi’s Maestosa is a game changer. £2,624.99. delonghi.com
GASTRO GOSSIP
Dining out with a difference. By Clementina Jackson COLOUR ME PRETTY
No matter how terrible your food, it will look fabulous on the Italian-crafted dining linens, hand-blown Murano glassware and statement ceramics that make up the colourful Cabana Magazine tableware collection. matchesfashion.com
FOOD THERAPY Something to warm the heart: after a successful fundraising campaign, Life Kitchen founder Ryan Riley is set to open the UK’s first cancer cookery school in Sunderland. Life Kitchen at The Lodge will offer free classes for people living with cancer and a menu that has been specially created to suit their sensitive and ever-changing taste buds. Inspiring. lifekitchen.co.uk
CONVERT To pure sea water pizza – lighter, authentically Neapolitan and easier to digest. We’re sold. overuk.com
EAT Gourmet fish buns. Cured dill Gravlax with fried zucchini, roasted aubergine and feta cream in a charcoal bun to go, please. thisismolo.com
BLOOMING REFRESHING
First we were sun starved, now we’re sticky and over it. Catch your breath in the swishest secret garden bar in town at The Ritz, where you can quaff Champagne, chow down on British seafood platters and enjoy a cigar in peace – and with a breeze. theritzlondon.com 136 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | July 2019
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FOOD & TRAVEL R E C I P E
BEIRUT BOUND
FOODIE TA L ES
Spice up a barbecue with John Gregory-Smith’s Lebanese aubergine salad
T
his is my version of the heavenly Lebanese layered dish, aubergine fatteh. Traditionally, aubergines are roasted or fried in chunks and then completely covered in a rich tahini sauce. This luscious layer of sesame goodness is then showered in different toppings to add colour, flavour and texture.
METHOD
Food philosophy? Eat well and enjoy every mouthful.
Heat 7–10cm of oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and deep-fry the bread for about one minute until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Brush both sides of the aubergine slices with olive oil and season with salt. Griddle for two to three minutes on each side until charred and tender. I find one side always takes longer and one side cooks much quicker. Just keep an eye on them and if they’re cooking too quickly, reduce the heat a little. Place on a serving plate and squeeze over half the lemon juice. Meanwhile mix together the yoghurt, tahini, 50ml of the water, garlic and the remaining lemon to make a smooth dressing. Spoon over the aubergines. Garnish with the pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, fried bread and coriander. Drizzle over a little olive oil and serve immediately.
GRIDDLED AUBERGINE FATTEH
PHOTOS: © ALAN KEOHANE
INGREDIENTS SERVES 4 » Vegetable oil, for deep-frying » 50g flatbread, ripped into 2.5cm pieces » 2 aubergines, sliced lengthways into 5mm slices » 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling » Juice of 1 lemon » 100g Greek yoghurt » 55g tahini » 1 garlic clove, crushed » Sea salt To Garnish » 25g toasted pine nuts » 50g pomegranate seeds » A small handful of coriander leaves
THE FOOD WRITER TALKS SCIENCE, SUMAC AND SHAWARMA
Saffron in the Souks by John Gregory-Smith. Octopus Books, £22
First dish you learned to cook? I watched a moustachioed Ken Hom on TV and got hooked on Chinese cooking. I used to make black bean beef with stir fried noodles, which might sound naff now but when I was 13 it was considered very exotic. Most vivid childhood food memory? Eating Tom Yum in Bangkok when I was 16. It was a massive awakening to what the world had in store for me. Favourite ingredient? Sumac, a dried red berry used in Middle Eastern cooking. It’s in season all the time which is handy, and I add it to everything from roast dinners to salad dressings. Biggest mistake in the kitchen? I am not a natural baker. A) You have to have patience, and B) you can’t taste as you go – it’s a weird science and I have always been terrible at any form of science. Memorable meal? My favourite chicken shawarma in the world is from a little hole in the wall called Makhlouf in Beirut. Beautifully spiced and served with lovely soft chips in the wrap. What’s not to like? Kitchen rules? Stay away! I love cooking for people but I work solo and like to crack on. What’s in your fridge? I just had a barbecue, so a load of chicken shawarma, homemade hummus, labneh, red pepper paste and red pesto. I always have lemons, herbs and Arabic cucumbers too – the little ones have more flavour. Least favourite ingredient? Raw tomatoes, bananas and sweet potatoes are all the devil’s work. Who would you like to take out for dinner? Nigella Lawson for a Middle Eastern feast on my roof terrace.
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FOOD & TRAVEL R E V I E W S
FORK & FIELD
Do the world’s most famous dumplings live up to the hype? asks Clementina Jackson
COUNTRY
PENSONS, Herefordshire
TOWN
DIN TAI FUNG, Covent Garden
When it was announced that ‘the world’s greatest dumplings’ were coming to London, the queues began almost immediately. Well, not quite – but it certainly feels that way when you get within 100 metres of Din Tai Fung’s new restaurant. The hype surrounding those perfectly formed xiao long bao (pork dumplings with 18 folds, to be exact) verges on off-putting, but if you’re clever about when you go, you’ll be devouring those little parcels of heaven in no time. Bar the glass operating theatre where dumpling ‘technicians’ work tirelessly away, this Taiwanese hotspot is by no means fancy – there’s a convivial family atmosphere perfectly suited to the messy slurping, picking and dipping required to truly enjoy the food. The fragrant prawn wontons swimming in black vinegar and chilli oil come highly recommended, as do the hand-pulled noodles and special-fried pork chop, but make sure you prioritise those famous xiao long bao – they’re the edible expression of perfect harmony. Mains from £8.50. dintaifung-uk.com
There’s a catch-22 on the table when it comes to London’s farm-to-fork gastro scene: there aren’t many farms in London. Lee Westcott is one of a handful of acclaimed chefs uprooting in search of better quality produce. His destination: the Netherwood Estate on the Herefordshire-Worcester border, where he has opened Pensons, an ode to elevated British fare. Inhabiting an airy refurbished barn, Pensons skilfully marries authentic rural charm with a polished metropolitan palate, spanning both food and design. All is economical, elevated to Westcott’s dizzying standards and community led, from the local farmers to the ex-Hackney weaver spinning up napkins in the estate’s workshop. The menu is at the mercy of both the seasons and Westcott’s experimental flair – from the Jerusalem artichoke, cod and truffle to the Herefordshire Herdwick lamb, potato and turnip. There has never been more reason to hop in the car and head for Herefordshire. Tasting menu, £75 per person. pensons.co.uk
WATCH THE CLOCK WHERE TO GO FOR A QUICKIE
SALON WINE STORE, SW9 Sometimes all you need is a medicinal glass of vino, and it’s hard to beat Salon’s vast selection of low intervention and biodynamic wines. You pay shop price, no corkage and can order straight from the menu for a speedy supper. The ‘nduja croquettes with aioli will knock your socks off. salonwinestore.co.uk
BAO BOROUGH, SE1 Bao buns to go? Don’t mind if I do. BAO has just opened its third site and the takeaway hatch is only one of the exciting new additions – look forward to new dishes (chicken nugget bao, hello), a late-night noodle menu, Suntory Hi-Ball machine and even a karaoke room. baolondon.com
ON THE BAB, W2 The cult Korean street food eatery has just moved to larger premises and it’s my favourite for a daily dose of bibimbap, breaded prawn bao buns and fried chicken – and yes, I always have all three. The express-style site means you’ll be in and out in under an hour, but no less satisfied. onthebab.com
PHOTOS: JOHN CAREY; PATRICIA NIVEN
R E S T A U R A N T
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FOOD & DRINK
D R I N K
A DR IN K W ITH...
HAPPY HOUR Over Aperol but love a spritz? Alice Lascelles has a few alternatives Taking the aperitivo to the next level
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ittersweet, refreshing and charged with clinking ice, it’s a drink that revitalises body and soul. If you’ve drunk your fill of Tizer-coloured Aperol Spritzes, and you’ve mastered the Campari Soda, try one of these sophisticated alternatives.
Sacred Rosehip Cup
INSTAGRAM @ALICELASCELLES; PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
This British answer to Campari is made in London from English rosehips, red grape skins and rhubarb which give it a deeply fruity, bittersweet flavour. Serve 50ml over ice, stirred with 75ml English sparkling wine, 25ml soda water and an orange slice. £24.95. sacredgin.com
IN OR OUT? STAYING IN
BOLLINGER LA GRANDE ANNÉE 2008
This prestige cuvée is one of the world’s great gastronomic champagnes. Savour this exceptional vintage with some buttery shellfish (or if you’re feeling wicked, chicken and chips). £515 for a case. bbr.com
Luxardo Bitter Bianco
A sweeter, more mellow take on the classic bitter liqueur, with attractive citrus and herb notes that work beautifully in a spritz: in an ice-filled rocks or large wine glass mix 50ml liqueur with 100ml prosecco and a generous splash of chilled soda water. Garnish with an orange slice and a sprig of thyme. £16.95. thewhiskyexchange.com
St George Distillery Bruto Americano
Thrillingly bitter, with earthy notes of rhubarb, spices and vetiver, this deep red liqueur from California is like Campari turned up to 11. There is so much going on flavour-wise, I’d advise keeping the spritz very simple: just serve 50ml liqueur with 75ml chilled soda water, in an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of lime. £29.95. masterofmalt.com
ROJA DOVE
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What are you drinking? Cup after cup of Rose Pouchong tea from Fortnum & Mason.
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Who are you drinking it with? Albert, my fragrance assistant.
Favourite cocktail? A Peach Bellini in The Rivoli Bar at The Ritz – it always feels like summer when I drink it.
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What makes a great cocktail list? The bar at L’Oscar has a really fun cocktail list that’s divided into cocktails for saints and cocktails for sinners. It all depends on who you want to be on that particular night.
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Most expensive bottle of wine you’ve bought? A magnum of Vintage Krug – and it was worth every bean for the pleasure it gave.
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Any tips for curing hangovers? I never get them.
If you could buy a drink for one person, who would it be? Mae West – I would love to witness her destroying a room with her razor-sharp wit. Roja Dove’s new fragrance, Elixir, is available now from Roja Parfums.
GOING OUT
BELMOND LE MANOIR AUX QUAT’SAISONS
The gardens are paradisiacal and the wine list is to die for. Where better to enjoy an aperitif en plein air on a long summer evening than this famous Oxfordshire hotel? Make a beeline for the Seasonal Sommelier Favourites, where you’ll find all the latest wines that the somms are excited about. belmond.com July 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 139
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STOCKISTS ALEXIA HENTSCH shop.alexiahentsch.com
ERES eresparis.com
LAINEY LOVES lainey-loves.com
SELF-PORTRAIT self-portrait-studio.com
ASCENO asceno.com
EUGENIA KIM selfridges.com
LE MONDE BERYL lemondeberyl.com
SIMONE PÉRÈLE simone-perele.com
BAUM UND PFERDGARTEN baumundpferdgarten.com
FEFÈ farfetch.com
MAJE uk.maje.com
SONIA PETROFF soniapetroff.com
BEATRICE B beatriceb.com
FORTNUM AND MASON fortnumandmason.com
MELODY ROSE melodyrose.co.uk
STELLA MCCARTNEY stellamccartney.com
BE HERE & LOVE behereandlove.com
FRAME frame-store.com
BEULAH LONDON beulahlondon.com
GAP gap.co.uk
BIRKENSTOCK X IL PELLICANO matchesfashion.com
GIOVANNI RASPINI giovanniraspini.com
MONCLER X MARCOLIN marcolin.com
GLOBE-TROTTER globe-trotter.com
MELISSA ODABASH odabash.com
HERMÈS hermes.com
MONTUNAS net-a-porter.com
HEND KRICHEN hendkrichen.com
MULBERRY mulberry.com
HILL & FRIENDS hillandfriends.com
OLIVIA VON HALLE oliviavonhalle.com
HUBLOT hublot.com
PATEK PHILIPPE patek.com
JAEGERLECOULTRE jaeger-lecoultre.com
PRINGLE OF SCOTLAND pringlescotland.com
JESSICA MCCORMACK jessicamccormack.com
RACHEL ENTWISTLE rachelentwistle.co.uk
JESSIE V E jessieve.com
RACIL themodist.com
WILLIAM AND SON williamandson.co.uk
JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN johnstonsofelgin.com
RAEY matchesfashion.com
WILLIAM EDWARDS williamedwardshome.co.uk
BY FAR net-a-porter.com CARTIER cartier.co.uk CHAUMET chaumet.com CHINTI & PARKER chintiandparker.com COS cosstores.com DIOR WATCHES dior.com EBERJEY plaisirs.com ELLIE LINES ellielines.co.uk EMILIA WICKSTEAD matchesfashion.com EPONINE eponinelondon.com
MISSOMA missoma.com MISSONI mytheresa.com
SUZANNAH suzannah.com TAG HEUER tagheuer.com TIFFANY & CO. tiffany.co.uk THE VAMPIRE’S WIFE farfetch.com TOAST toa.st UTERQÜE uterque.com VAN CLEEF & ARPELS vancleefarpels.com WANDLER brownsfashion.com WEDGWOOD wedgwood.co.uk WILD OLIVE wildolive.eu
RICHARD MILLE richardmille.com
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EDITED BY A N NA T Y Z ACK
PROPERTY
HOUSE OF THE MONTH Sell it to us in a sentence… This home ticks all the right boxes period architecture, stylish interiors, extensive grounds and one of the finest indoor swimming pools we’ve seen in a while. In what style has it been decorated? It has had a sympathetic renovation, exuding classic English style with a modern twist. Best room in the house? The panelled drawing room with its Tudor-style timber arch, feature fireplace and garden views.
Forest Green, Dorking, Surrey Price: £3.95m 7 bedrooms 7 bathrooms 8,774 sq/ft
What would summers be like here? From a relaxed breakfast in the garden room and a dip in the pool to games in the grounds followed by a big outdoor feast – the twobed cottage is all the more reason to host guests for the weekend. What is the garden like? Extensive. There are formal knot gardens, a paved sun terrace, secret garden and a serious vegetable garden. Where can we send the kids to school? Cranleigh School is around five miles away; it’s a co-ed boarding and day school and a very popular local choice. For younger children there’s Belmont School and Duke of Kent School. Perks of the location? It’s on the edge of one of the most sought-after villages in the county with the archetypal village green and an excellent local pub, The Parrot. It’s in the heart of the Surrey Hills and at the base of Leith Hill. The commute is do-able too – Dorking station is around ten miles away which offers direct links into London. The current owner says… ‘We have loved raising our family here. The area is such a friendly place to live and we have no doubt that a future family will love it just as much.’ 01483 796820, savills.com; 01483 266705, housepartnership.co.uk n
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L E T ’ S
M O V E
T O
EDINBURGH
Prices are rising in the Scottish capital – with good reason, says Anna Tyzack Circus Lane is Instagram heaven
WHEN IN EDINBURGH Romantic night out The Witchery by the Castle is hidden in a collection of historic buildings at the gates to Edinburgh Castle. thewitchery.com Cocktails after work Enjoy pizza and craft beer at Cold Town House’s, with its rooftop ‘après-ski’ bar. coldtownhouse. co.uk
W
ith its black cabs, palace and parliament, Edinburgh is a vibrant capital city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a world-renowned festival. It’s also the most liveable city in the world, according to research by global consultancy Arcadis. ‘We’re constantly being placed top in quality of life surveys,’ explains Ben Fox of Savills. Unlike London, where property prices have been flat for the past few years, Edinburgh’s Georgian terraces are enjoying something of a golden era, with values increasing by 10.6 per cent last year, according to Knight Frank. ‘We seem to be outperforming the rest of the country,’ says Neil Scott of Knight Frank. As a result, an increasing number of Londoners are opting to make the move north for a better lifestyle and higher capital appreciation. Most, admittedly, have some kind of connection to Scotland, such as by birth, university or working for a Scottish company, but there are also those who, according to Fox, simply like the thought of
relocating to a city where it’s considered normal to walk to work. ‘Convenience is a priority and, for Londoners, this is a major draw,’ he explains. Edinburgh cannot compete with London in terms of size but it is certainly cosmopolitan. Over the past decade it has morphed from a regional centre to an international destination with direct flights to America, the Middle East and China. The city has long been a centre for law, medicine and financial services – it’s the UK’s largest financial services sector after London – but it is also increasingly a tech hub for brands such as Skyscanner and FanDuel. ‘Edinburgh has repositioned itself as a San Francisco-style tech centre, which is bringing a new demographic and a trendier feel to the city,’ says Fox. Education-wise, Edinburgh has long been in a league of its own, making it an excellent choice for families. ‘The city is unique in that around a quarter of all children go to private schools,’
Bracing walk Stroll along the Water of Leith to the Modern Art museum. nationalgalleries. org Pub lunch The Scran & Scallie is one of Edinburgh’s best gastropubs. scranandscallie. com Shopping spree Browse the boutiques on George Street and Thistle Street and finish at the Forth Floor bar in Harvey Nichols. harveynichols. com Night in Stock up at Valvona & Crolla, Scotland’s oldest delicatessen. valvonacrolla. co.uk
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Calton Hill in Edinburgh – a UNESCO World Heritage site
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PROPERTY notes Fox. Cargilfield in New Town is popular with the finance set and parents compete over properties in the catchments of esteemed primary schools like South Morningside and Sciennes on the south side and St Mary’s in the New Town. In the north of the city are Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College, along with St George’s School for Girls and Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools. To the south are Merchiston Castle School and George Heriot’s School. For London buyers, New Town, with its sweeping Georgian crescents, independent shops and hidden pubs is the most obvious place to invest. Two-bed flats on popular roads such as India Street and Northumberland Street start from around £400,000 and whole townhouses from £1.5m. Some of the city’s finest are found on Abercromby Place, Moray Place and Heriot Row – where you can expect to pay £3m for a house, although earlier this year there was a record £5m sale on Heriot Row. Families might also look to Stockbridge, Bruntsfield and Morningside, which have large open parks and good schools. The city’s largest detached houses are found on Whitehouse Terrace in the Grange, to the south of the city, and Inverleith Place Lane in the north. Closer to the centre, Georgian houses on Regent Terrace have views of Holyrood Palace and direct access to a park with tennis courts. Romantic dining at The Witchery
‘They used to be around £1.5m but prices have jumped up to £2.5m,’ says Scott. Gareth Wyatt, a fund manager, and his wife, Laura, moved from south London to Morningside last year with their two children, trading in a three-bed cottage for a five-bed Victorian terrace with a large garden. ‘I quickly noticed how much less stressed we all were,’ says Laura, a GP. ‘My school run is five minutes and my commute to work is a 30-minute stroll.’ It’s perfectly possible to live in rural isolation, within a short rail commute of the city. Popular with commuters are country houses near the towns of Gifford in East Lothian and Linlithgow in West Lothian, both of which are within 30 minutes of Edinburgh. ‘Linlithgow has great schools and you can commute to either Glasgow or Edinburgh,’ Fox explains. Price growth has slowed slightly since last year, when Edinburgh outperformed every other UK city, but values are still rising – by 7.6 per cent. ‘The lack of supply and strong domestic and international demand for property is driving prime values,’ explains Faisal Choudhry from Savills Research. Fox believes that the Scottish Referendum and Brexit prompted a lag in Edinburgh growth and prices are still catching up with other university cities such as Oxford. ‘There’s been uncertainty built into the market here for a while now, and as a result it has become quite resilient,’ Fox says. The Wyatts’ life now involves regular weekend trips to the Highlands and the west coast – even skiing at Fort William. What they haven’t done, much to their surprise, is hop on a train back to London. ‘We thought we’d be visiting friends at least once a month but so far we’ve been too preoccupied,’ Laura says. ‘And besides, our London mates insist on visiting us up here.’ n
FOR SA L E
NEW TOWN, £2.5M The principal part of a grand Georgian townhouse on Abercromby Place, with striking period features. It has been redesigned to the highest standard, with open-plan living spaces and a roof terrace. knightfrank.com
HAYMARKET, FROM £252,500 TO £1.695M The Playfair is an iconic building amid 18 acres, newly converted into apartments and just moments from Haymarket station. Properties vary in size from studios to three-bedroom residences cityandcountry.co.uk
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
MIDLOTHIAN, £785,000 A converted mill within easy commuting distance of Edinburgh with flexible family accommodation, including open-plan kitchen, music room, drawing room, two games rooms and six bedrooms. knightfrank.com
The Water of Leith makes for picturesque city-centre strolling
RUTLAND SQUARE, FROM £595,000 A top-floor apartment in Rutland Square, one of Edinburgh’s most sought-after squares. It has picturesque views to the Pentland Hills, a good-sized kitchen and four double bedrooms, plus access to the private gardens. savills.com
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PROPERTY Tamara Beckwith
HOM ES SW EET HOM ES H O U S E
THE STARTER HOME
S E C R E T S
TAMARA BECKWITH The gallery owner grew up next to Duran Duran
First London home? Ennismore Mews,
past ghastly, bland décor. Where do you see yourself living in the future? I could never
Ex-neighbour John Taylor
What compromises are you prepared to make? Very, very few… I guess I could live
without underground parking. If money was no object, where would you live? A mini estate
live within walking distance.
in the Cotswolds near all my most naughty friends with some horses and a fabulous garden.
Where would you like to have a second home? In
How would you define your interiors style? Maximalist.
the countryside. Both of my children are country mice by nature and are always asking when we are moving.
I love orderly clutter, photographs and mementos everywhere.
Potential. I am able to look
Biggest mistake people make when decorating? Having no Kate Moss Descending by Mike Figgis is available at The Little Black Gallery
Belgravia, £22m A stucco-fronted townhouse redesigned to the highest specification with lift, underground parking, spa with Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room and a wine cellar. The 7,000 sq/ft floor plan also includes a drawing room, six bedrooms with bathrooms and an adjoined mews with study and media room. rokstone.com
THE DREAM HOME
taste and hiring a very expensive decorator, who will simply replicate their standard look. Most extravagant purchase?
As co-owner of The Little Black Gallery, many artworks end up on my wall. Plus, my husband is a huge Ralph Lauren fan, so that has been foisted onto me. How can you improve a room without spending a fortune? Be clever with what you
put on coffee tables. I collect all sorts of objects. Whose house would you most like to see inside? I’ve seen inside all the homes of Tamara dreams of a walled country manor
THE FOREVER HOME
live in a new build – so soulless. I love old, original homes, so a wonky but wonderful walled manor house with a rambling garden would make me happy.
What do you love most about it? Our friends mostly
What do you look for when you’re house hunting?
Knightsbridge, £5.95m A house on Montpelier Mews with lateral accommodation over three floors. There is a main living room, kitchen, dining room and three/four bedrooms plus a roof terrace. It is in good order but a new owner could tailor it to their own taste. kayeandcarey.co.uk
Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti and no one really does it better in my mind. n
Oxfordshire, £3.5m A mini Cotswolds estate not far from Swindon, with a handsome Dutch gables manor house, sweeping drive and a leisure complex with indoor pool, gym, sauna and ballroom with a sprung dance floor. There are eight bedrooms in the main house, formal gardens and paddocks and six additional residences generating an income of £80,000 per annum. stowhillestates.com
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; REX FEATURES; © LAURA PANNACK
Knightsbridge. As a punishment for being suspended from school I was left in charge of making it ready to let after it had been newly refurbished. Best thing about it? The spiral staircase, which was on trend at the time. I remember thinking that it was beyond grown up. Worst thing about it? John Taylor (Duran Duran) lived a few doors down, so there were always groupies hanging around. Where do you live now? Just off Eaton Square. Why did you choose it? I didn’t actually – I am married to a very alpha Italian and he likes the area, so that was that.
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PROPERTY
F I V E
O F
T H E
B E S T
TOWNHOUSES
They might look tall and thin but these properties are veritable tardises, says Anna Tyzack KENSINGTON, £10.25m
An imposing Grade II listed townhouse near Holland Park with five bedrooms, six bathrooms and a 90ft rear garden with a gate leading on to communal gardens in Edwardes Square. The house has plenty of period charm and grand entertaining spaces, plus a playroom and nanny quarters. Most notable is the private spa, which features a ten-metre swimming pool lined with Grecian-style columns and a steam room. There is also underground parking for two cars, CCTV and a lift. Kensington High Street is close by, as are Hyde Park and the museums and galleries of South Kensington. russellsimpson.co.uk
LONDON CITY ISLAND, from £1.45m
A collection of seven modern townhouses, these are the largest and most unique homes on London City Island, a new development on the river. Each property has been architect designed by Amos & Amos to include three bedrooms, expansive living spaces and a secluded ground-floor garden, plus private parking; the largest has five storeys, a private lift and a roof terrace. The townhouses are located adjacent to English National Ballet and The London Film School’s new headquarters, set to open later this year, and are a stone’s throw from the island’s iconic red footbridge spanning the River Lea and providing high-speed connectivity to central London. londoncityisland.com
BATTERSEA, £3.35m A five-bedroom semi-detached house with high ceilings and wide rooms, moments from Battersea Park and the new Tube station (opening 2020). The property is ideal for family living as there is a generous kitchen leading out on to the garden, plus a playroom downstairs. There is also an abundance of period features, including fireplaces and cornicing in the interconnecting reception rooms, while outside is a storage area and a side entrance, plus a charging point for an electric car. A new owner could completely redevelop the property as it has planning permission for a loft and basement. knightfrank.com
FULHAM, from £1.85m Bishops Gate is an exciting new development with ten four-bedroom townhouses right next to Bishops Park. Each house features cuttingedge design and interiors by WISH London with underfloor heating throughout, bespoke kitchens with Miele appliances, fitted wardrobes in all bedrooms, whole house ventilation and landscaped private gardens. There is also parking for each property and electric vehicle charging. Bishops Park spans over nine hectares and features gardens, riverside walks, family play areas and tennis courts and the Tube at Putney Bridge is close by. bishopsgatesw6.com
KNIGHTSBRIDGE, £13.95m This newly redeveloped townhouse is on Thurloe Square, one of London’s most sought-after garden squares. Following extensive renovation, the accommodation now spans more than 5,000 sq/ft and features a four-person lift and air conditioning. At the rear of the property is a kitchen and informal dining area opening on to a private garden. There is a grand double reception room, plus a stunning conservatory, enormous master suite, six further bedrooms with en suites, media room, gym and study. The house also has access to communal gardens that welcome children and dogs. knightfrank.com
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An impressive new stone built mansion.
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Surrey In a prestigious part of the internationally renowned Wentworth Estate, and newly built in natural stone in the classic tradition. With extensive leisure facilities including an indoor pool and spa. For sale on behalf of the Joint LPA Receivers. • • •
Windsor 7 miles Ascot 4.3 miles Central London 24.8 miles
Guide price
£17,000,000
James Crawford and James Cleland look forward to helping you. james.crawford@knightfrank.com +44 20 7861 1065 james.cleland@knightfrank.com +44 1344 840 028 Joint agent: Barton Wyatt rw@bartonwyatt.co.uk +44 1344 843 000 knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.
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A wonderful family home in the heart of Kensington.
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Abingdon Villas, Kensington W8 A beautifully presented family home with parking and a garden in prime Kensington. Abingdon Villas is situated south of Kensington High Street which offers a wide variety of shops and transport connections. • • • •
Tom Tangney looks forward to helping you. tom.tangney@knightfrank.com 020 8115 3277
Off street parking for 1 car South facing garden Basement extension providing excellent family/entertaining room Approximately 3,067 sq ft (284.9 sq m)
Guide price
£4,500,000
Freehold knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.
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Beautifully presented penthouse apartment.
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Pier Head, Wapping E1W Pier Head is located within easy access of the amenities of St. Katharine Docks and transport links of either Wapping's over ground station or Tube and Docklands Light Railway links at Tower Hill and Tower Gateway Stations. • Private landscaped roof terrace offering views of the River Thames • Excellent storage and distinctive design features • Grade II listed • Approximately 2092 sq ft
Lee O'Neill looks forward to helping you. lee.oneill@knightfrank.com 020 7480 4475
Guide price
£3,500,000 knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.
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Connecting people & property, perfectly. Willoughby Road, Twickenham TW1 A modern house in a gated development on the River Thames.
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Private mooring Integral garage Alfresco riverside dining Cinema style sitting room
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Mathew Hahn looks forward to helping you.
mathew.hahn@knightfrank.com 020 3544 0691
Guide price £3,950,000
Martineau Drive, Twickenham TW1 Set in an exclusive gated development only a short distance from the River Thames.
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Integral garage Landscaped gardens Media room Balconies - raised ground and second floors
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Mathew Hahn looks forward to helping you.
mathew.hahn@knightfrank.com
Guide price £3,000,000
020 3544 0691
knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly. All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent and the deposit, an administration fee of £288 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property (if not an AST). (All fees shown are inclusive of VAT.) If the landlord agrees to you having a pet, you may be required to pay a higher deposit (if not an AST) or higher weekly rent (if an AST). Please ask us for more information about other fees that will apply or visit www.knightfrank.co.uk/tenantfees.
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Connecting people & property, perfectly. Kingswood Avenue, Queen's Park NW6
Hopefield Avenue, Queen's Park NW6
1
1
A fantastic four bedroom house that enjoys a bright, open plan layout, and plenty of natural light. EPC: C Guide price £1,875,000 Freehold
Brondesbury Road, Queen's Park NW6
1 A rare opportunity to own this meticulously refurbished home in a prime position on this highly sought after road. Guide price £4,950,000 Freehold
Rainham Road, Kensal Rise NW10
An exceptional two double bedroom flat situated on the raised ground floor of a period building. EPC: C 6
4
3
Guide price £760,000 Leasehold
Chatsworth Road, Mapesbury NW2
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A breathtaking and remarkably spacious, triple fronted house set over three floors, and benefiting from outside space. EPC: E Guide price £2,000,000 Freehold
Hartland Road, Queen's Park NW6
1 A bright and spacious family home situated on this popular road in Queen's Park. EPC: D
A substantial and exquisitely finished detached family house with an annex and sizeable private garden.
Guide price £1,599,950 Freehold
Guide price £3,500,000 Freehold
7-8
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Call the Queen's Park team on 020 3815 3020, we'd love to help you. knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly. All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent and the deposit, an administration fee of £288 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property (if not an AST). (All fees shown are inclusive of VAT.) If the landlord agrees to you having a pet, you may be required to pay a higher deposit (if not an AST) or higher weekly rent (if an AST). Please ask us for more information about other fees that will apply or visit www.knightfrank.co.uk/tenantfees.
Knightfrank.indd 5
30/05/2019 16:44
Impressive Country House Hitchin, Hertfordshire Hitchin Town Centre: 2.5 miles, A1M (J9): 5.2 miles An impressive Grade II listed country house with significant local provenance set in grounds of over 2 acres. 3 reception rooms, 8 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, double garage and delightful gardens. About 2 acres | Guide ÂŁ1.65 million Nick Ingle Savills Harpenden 01582 465 000 ningle@savills.com
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24/05/2019 16:56 16:45 29/05/2019
Exceptional Cotswolds Estate Tetbury, Gloucestershire Cirencester: 14.3 miles, Swindon Station: 23.6 miles (London Paddington from 53 minutes) Significant estate with Grade I listed castle and charming 17th century house in a highly regarded area within the Cotswolds AONB. The estate includes 5 cottages, stable yard, estate office and flat, exceptional range of historic Cotswold stone farm buildings, fully equipped farmstead, commercial arable land, pasture and woodland. EPC = E-G About 693 acres | Offers in excess of ÂŁ10 million
C&TH_ DPS_2JULY EDITION_ BEVERSTON ESTATE.indd All Pages Savills.indd
29/05/2019 16:56
Louisa Over Savills London National Farms & Estates 020 3944 4219 lover@savills.com
Savills.indd 3
Will Chanter Savills Cheltenham 01242 809 904 wchanter@savills.com
Richard Binning Savills Oxford 01865 986 885 rbinning@savills.com
24/05/2019 16:56 16:43 29/05/2019
For the Prime Central London home seller.
Our approach is bespoke, our agents accomplished, our property analysis unparalleled, our sales record outstanding. Care and intelligence throughout the sale. Discover more at youhome.co.uk
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F SA O LER
Cambridge Gate, Regent’s Park, NW1 £7,600,000
Tel. 020 7908 9281 laurence.lai@youhome.co.uk
F SA O LER
This magnificent property of 6,700sq ft in size occupies the raised ground floor and lower ground floors of a Victorian period building directly opposite Regent’s Park. Accommodation comprises; a huge 41ft front aspect reception room, a 25ft rear reception/dining room, an additional internal reception room, kitchen, 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 2 cloakrooms, roof terrace, patio and garage.
Laurence Lai Head of London Sales
Hollywood Road, SW10 £3,600,000 A beautiful white stucco-fronted family home in this prime Chelsea location. The house offers four bedrooms, ample entertaining space, impressive ceiling heights and excellent proportions. Arranged over four floors and spanning approx. 2,400 sq.ft, the house is located within the Boltons Conservation Area with a wealth of shops, bars, restaurants and transport options close by.
Tim Johnston Property Guru for SW3, SW6 & SW10 Tel. 020 7908 9251 tim.johnston@youhome.co.uk
youhome.co.uk
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30/05/2019 16:08
Octagon .indd 2
29/05/2019 16:56
VILLAGE LIV ING. LU XURY LIFESTY LE. Eagle House has been central to Wimbledon Village life for over 400 years. The Grade II* listed property, once visited by Lord Nelson and home to philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, is considered one of the capital’s finest surviving examples of a Jacobean manor house. Lovingly restored and expertly converted into eight luxurious two and three bedroom apartments on Wimbledon High Street, Eagle House effortlessly combines village and city lifestyles in one exceptional setting.
SELLING AGENT KNIGHT FRANK: 020 8946 0026
VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT
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020 8481 7500
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OCTAGONBESPOKE.CO.UK
29/05/2019 16:56
Panton Street, Cambridge – Station 0.7 Miles £1,250,000 A most impressive four storey Regency town house benefitting from a wealth of desirable period features within this prestigious central city location which is close to a good range of local schools as well as riverside walks and Lammas Land. Accommodation comprising: Entrance hall, shower room, sitting room, bedroom. Lower ground floor: kitchen/dining/living room, utility room. First floor: 2 bedrooms (1 with en suite), family bathroom. Second floor: bedroom. Outside: front and rear gardens. . EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
Hartington Grove – Station 1.2 Miles £1,295,000 A most impressive semi-detached two storey bay fronted Victorian residence extending to around 2,500 sq. ft. in this most convenient south city location just off Hills Road. Accommodation comprising: entrance and reception halls, living room, sitting room, office/study, cloakroom, utility room, kitchen/ breakfast room, dining/family room, cellar. First floor: 3 bedrooms, bathroom, shower room. Second floor: 2 bedrooms, shower room. Outside: front and rear enclosed gardens, driveway parking, detached double garage. EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
cheffins.co.uk 01223 214214
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Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London
30/05/2019 16:34
Glisson Road – Station 0.6 Miles £800,000 A historic early Victorian residence with converted former saddler’s workshop, offering stylish, well presented and versatile accommodation over two floors in this prestigious central city location convenient for railway station and a range of local amenities. Accommodation comprising: Entrance hall, sitting room/bedroom, dining room, kitchen, further bedroom, bathroom. First floor: living room with timber deck, 2 bedrooms, bathroom. Outside: enclosed courtyard garden. EER:C Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
Bourn – Station 11 Miles £995,000 A well-presented and substantial detached country residence with well-proportioned accommodation over two floors, together with self-contained annexe, garage, stables and useful barn, standing within grounds of about 3.5 acres (subject to survey) in this semi-rural setting on the outskirts of this well-served village. Accommodation comprising: Reception hall, sitting room, garden room, study/play room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, w.c. First floor: 4 bedrooms (1 with en suite), bathroom. EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London
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01223 214214 cheffins.co.uk
30/05/2019 16:34
Hadstock – Station 7.5 Miles £1,000,000 A substantial detached Grade II Listed double fronted detached Georgian residence, standing within its own grounds in all extending to 1.7 acres, enjoying far reaching views over adjoining countryside. Accommodation comprising: Reception hall, living room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, family room, study, cloakroom, utility/boot room, cellar. First floor: 4 bedrooms, bathroom, shower room. Outside: generous gardens and grounds, gravelled driveway parking, garage/storage barn. Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk
Helions Bumpstead – Station 13 Miles £1,325,000 A handsome country residence, set in around 2.8 acres in a stunning location enjoying beautiful panoramic views over the adjoining rolling countryside. Accommodation comprising: Reception hall, open plan kitchen/breakfast/day room, dining room, family room, drawing room, study, games room, shower room, utility room, boot room. First floor: 4 bedrooms (1 with en suite), bathroom. Second floor: 5th bedroom/studio with en suite. Outside: triple cart lodge, double garage, generous garden and grounds, heated swimming pool. EER:D Contact: Bruce King | Saffron Walden Office: 01799 523656 | bruce.king@cheffins.co.uk
cheffins.co.uk 01223 214214
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Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London
30/05/2019 16:34
Barrington – Station 1.5 Miles £1,250,000 A quite exceptional individual detached residence, together with a delightful and generous mature plot, fronting onto a picturesque green and enjoying wonderful views towards the parish church at the front, with farmland and countryside to the rear. Accommodation comprising: Reception hall, cloakroom, living room, study area, dining room, conservatory/garden room, kitchen with breakfast room, utility room. First floor: 4 bedrooms (1 with en suite shower room), bathroom. Second floor: bedroom/games room/family room, shower room, sauna. Outside: driveway and courtyard style parking, double garage, rear garden. EER: Awaited Contact: Martin Walshe | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | martin.walshe@cheffins.co.uk
Sawston – Station 2 Miles £875,000 A rather stylish detached Edwardian residence which has been substantially extended and sympathetically improved in more recent times and retains many features of character and quality. Accommodation comprising: Reception hall, living room, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, family room. First floor: 5 bedrooms (1 with en suite shower room), family bathroom. Second floor: bedroom. Outside: courtyard parking area, double garage, landscaped rear gardens. EER:E Contact: Martin Walshe | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | martin.walshe@cheffins.co.uk
Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London
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01223 214214 cheffins.co.uk
31/05/2019 13:35
01905 734735
hello@andrew-grant.co.uk
View our current properties: agllp.co/cath
Take a look at the video: https://agllp.co/bishopstonehouse
Bishopstone, Herefordshire, HR4
7,513 Sq.Ft.
£1,200,000
Guide Price
74
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A classic country house with exquisite gardens and land, in all around 8.1 acres. Hereford 7, Malvern 27, Worcester 33, Birmingham 64, London 150 (all mileages are approximate). Offered for sale for the first time in 95 years, this gracious old rectory was frequently visited by William Wordsworth, who commemorated it in his poem ‘Roman Antiquities Discovered at Bishopstone’. The property has up to ten bedrooms, highly flexible accommodation with annexe potential, traditional barns with potential STP, charming gardens and grounds, a tennis court, farmland, woods, pond and orchard. An additional 33 acres is available by separate negotiation. EPC = F.
Contact: Andrew Grant Country Homes 01905 734735
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01905 734735
hello@andrew-grant.co.uk
View our current properties: agllp.co/cath
Take a look at the video: https://agllp.co/thedovehouse
Temple Grafton, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49
4,526 Sq.Ft.
ÂŁ1,950,000
Guide Price
74
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A beautiful period home with accommodation over three floors, glorious landscaped gardens, paddock and woodland, totalling around 3.15 acres. Alcester 5, Stratford upon Avon 6, Henley in Arden 9, Birmingham 26, London 105 (all mileages are approximate). Dove House is set in a peaceful and private position within this small Warwickshire village. The house has a solid traditional feel with many period features but has been carefully updated, and features a bespoke contemporary kitchen and a superb orangery. There are three further reception rooms on the ground floor, four first floor bedrooms and three rooms on the second floor. A bespoke timber three car garage is complemented by further outbuildings, one of which has some potential STPP. The landscaped gardens are stunning and there is the added benefit of a copse with a large natural pond, a large paddock and an area of woodland. EPC = E Contact: Andrew Grant Country Homes 01905 734735
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Fryerning Essex Felsted, Dunmow CM6 Fryerning Essex
Guide Price £3,850,000 Guide Price £3,850,000 Guide price £635,000 striking five double bedroom, four reception Grade II AAstriking five double bedroom, fourGrade reception Grade II A deceptively spacious four bedroom II listed listed property to date back 500 property tucked away onthought a quiet country lane.back The years. listedperiod period property thought to date 500 years. This is fioriginally thought to beto 3 be 3 property benefitsresidence from a well tted country kitchen, Thischarming charming residence is originally thought cottages, now providing fantastic flow of interesting lounge with wood burner inaInglenook fireplace and three cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of interesting further reception rooms. Outside there ample driveway and family living space overisover two floors. The The andextensive extensive family living space two floors. parking, a very large barn/garage andgrounds mature private 7.5 plot comprises formal grounds mixed 7.5acre acre plot comprises formal mixed gardens. EPC Exempt. sympathetically with paddocks (benefitting fromfrom a sympathetically with paddocks (benefitting a second separate access), ponds and a substantial lake. second separate access), ponds and a substantial lake. Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage and detached one bedroom annexe. Equestrian and detached one bedroom annexe. Equestrian potential. EPC Exempt potential. EPC Exempt Country && Village ce 01245 Country VillageOffi Office 01245397475 397475
Country & Village Office 01245 397475
Fryerning North End,Essex Dunmow CM6 Guide Price £3,850,000
Guide priceEssex £1,100,000 Fryerning A striking five double bedroom, four reception Grade II A delightful five double bedroom family home Guide Price £3,850,000 listed period property thought to date back 500 years. positioned in picturesque North End benefitting from
This charming residence is originally thought to be 3
a sweeping driveway providing for several A striking five double bedroom, fourparking reception Grade II cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of interesting cars. The house offers a wealth of entertaining space listedand period property thought to date back 500 years. extensive family livingreception space over two floors. The including three stunning rooms, dining This charming residence is originally thought to be 3 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed room and an impressive kitchen/breakfast room. To cottages, now providing apaddocks fantastic(benefitting flow of interesting sympathetically withare from a the first floor there four double bedrooms, and and extensive family living space over two floors. Thelake. second access), ponds and a substantial dressingseparate room and an opulent en-suite. There is also 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage a secondary family bathroom. On the top floor is sympathetically with paddocks (benefitting from a and detached one bedroom annexe. the fi fth double bedroom which also Equestrian benefi ts from potential. EPCaccess), Exempt second separate pondsThere and aissubstantial a further en-suite bathroom. a charminglake. Numerous outbuildings, tennis landscaped garden. EPC E. court, double garage and detached one bedroom annexe. Equestrian Country &&Village Country VillageOffice Office01245 01245397475 397475 potential. EPC Exempt
Country Village Office 01245 397475 Sales •&Lettings • Mortgages Beresford.indd 157 Sales • Lettings • Mortgages
29/05/2019 16:54
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Rettie.indd 1
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Alta Advert CTH.qxp_Layout 1 15/05/2019 09:53 Page 1
Falmouth, Cornwall Extraordinary five-bedroom Scandi style Eco home with breath-taking countryside and water views. Exclusively private and close to Falmouth beaches, bays and harbours (Rated UK’s best place to live by the Times) and Port Navas only three minutes away, its location is unrivalled. Exceptional detached studio. All set amongst 1.5 acres of park-like gardens. An inspired home, living with nature. Guide £1.65m
J O N AT H A N CUNLIFFE
Jonathan Cunliffe.indd 1
01326 617447
jonathancunliffe.co.uk
29/05/2019 16:55
Early Victorian house requiring restoration and modernisation, in an idyllic setting with wonderful established gardens over 7cottage acres; excellent Stunningofperiod with beautifully presented ancillary accommodation and array accommodation extending to an 1,597 sq ft (148 sq m) of outbuildings barns withpretty, potential overlooking theand green in this west for conversion tovillage. residential use. Cambridgeshire E P C
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BARRINGTON £2.5m (Guide Price)
HILTON £695,000 (Guide Price)
Superbly refurbished, substantial detached Stunning period cottage with beautifully period house with an extensive range of presented accommodation extending to 1,597 sq ft (148 sq m) ancillary accommodation and buildings overlooking green in this pretty, west including a 1the bedroom annexe, situated Cambridgeshire village. in the picturesque village of Hilton. Superb period house with extensive accom E finished to an exceptionally high standard P in anC outstanding rural setting with far re 3 2 views C over surrounding countryside. 5 2 3 E P C
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HILTON £1.35m (Guide Price) HILTON £695,000 (Guide Price) HORSEHEATH
30/05/2019 11:31
hamptons.co.uk
Banstead, Surrey
A six bedroom residence dating from 1914 with substantial accommodation arranged over three floors, including an indoor swimming pool complex. EPC: E
OIEO £2,150,000 Freehold • • • • •
6 bedrooms 4 bathrooms 4 reception rooms Swimming pool Approaching 2 acres
Hamptons Epsom and Banstead Sales. 01372 390 031 | epsom@hamptons-int.com
Hamptons.indd 1 & Townhouse Magazine 2pp Advert July 2019 v1.indd 1 2327 HAM Country
29/05/2019 17/05/2019 16:55 13:58
OF PEOPLE WHO CALL US OUT OF HOURS ARE INTERESTED IN BOOKING A VIEWING
Speak to us at a time that suits you Our dedicated Hamptons experts are available whenever you need them, no matter the time or time zone. If you are thinking of selling or letting your property and want to find the right buyer, call us or speak to us on webchat 24/7 to arrange a free valuation. Telephone: 020 3369 4829 hamptons.co.uk
Hamptons.indd 2 & Townhouse Magazine 2pp Advert July 2019 v1.indd 2 2327 HAM Country
04/06/2019 17/05/2019 09:46 13:58
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